pleasing

[ plee-zing ]

/ ˈpli zɪŋ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pleasing ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective

giving pleasure; agreeable; gratifying: a pleasing performance.

Nearby words

Origin of pleasing

First recorded in 1350–1400, pleasing is from the Middle English word plesing. See please, -ing²

SYNONYMS FOR pleasing

pleasant, charming, delightful, engaging. See interesting.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR pleasing ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

pleas·ing·ly, adverbpleas·ing·ness, nounhalf-pleas·ing, adjectiveself-pleas·ing, adjective

un·pleas·ing, adjective

Definition for pleasing (2 of 2)

please

[ pleez ]

/ pliz /

adverb

(used as a polite addition to requests, commands, etc.) if you would be so obliging; kindly: Please come here. Will you please turn the radio off?

verb (used with object), pleased, pleas·ing.

to act to the pleasure or satisfaction of: to please the public.

to be the pleasure or will of: May it please your Majesty.

verb (used without object), pleased, pleas·ing.

to like, wish, or feel inclined: Go where you please.

to give pleasure or satisfaction; be agreeable: manners that please.

Origin of please

1275–1325; (v.) Middle English plesen, plaisen < Middle French plaisir ≪ Latin placēre to please, seem good (see placid); the use of please with requests, etc., is presumably a reduction of the clause (it) please you may it please you, later reinforced by imperative use of intransitive please to be pleased, wish

SYNONYMS FOR please

4 choose, desire, prefer.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR please ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

pleas·a·ble, adjectivepleas·ed·ly

[plee-zid-lee, pleezd-] /ˈpli zɪd li, ˈplizd-/, adverbpleas·ed·ness, nounpleas·er, noun

half-pleased, adjectiveout·please, verb (used with object), out·pleased, out·pleas·ing.o·ver·please, verb, o·ver·pleased, o·ver·pleas·ing.self-pleased, adjectiveself-pleas·er, nounun·pleas·a·ble, adjectiveun·pleased, adjectivewell-pleased, adjective

Can be confusedpleas please

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pleasing

That plan is pleasing investors: After the layoffs were announced, Microsoft stock jumped 3.8 percent to a 14-year high.
Bill Gates’ Internet Doomsday Prophesy Comes True|Kyle Chayka|July 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She first gains the respect of Khal Drogo by pleasing him sexually.
Valar Morghulis: Game of Thrones’ Women Are Going to Rule the World|Scott Bixby|June 17, 2014|DAILY BEAST
He follows his own muse—he's a world-class weirdo—but at the same time, he's never solely concerned with pleasing himself.
Is Jack White the Last True Rock Star?|Andrew Romano|June 13, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Coldplay, on the other hand, always seemed to care about nothing but pleasing its audience.
Gwyneth Paltrow Haunts Coldplay’s Self-Conscious Breakup Album ‘Ghost Stories’|Andrew Romano|May 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Coldplay, on the other hand, seems to care about nothing but pleasing its audience.
Why Is It Cool to Hate Coldplay? A First Listen of New Album ‘Ghost Stories’|Andrew Romano|March 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The attempt to fix certain opinions on the nation which were pleasing Liberty of the press.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 9, Slice 5|Various
This plan seemed to the wild crusaders alike profitable, easy to fulfil, and pleasing to God.
History of the Jews, Vol. III (of 6)|Heinrich Graetz
The dinner was now wound up with coffee and cigarettes—not the least pleasing part to me—and a hubbub of chatting.
Strange Teas, Dinners, Weddings and Fetes|Various
The scenes, just now all soft and pleasing, give way to others which unite the lovely and the severe.
Continental Monthly, Vol. 5, Issue 2, February, 1864|Various
Few as are these words, they convey a positive picture of Fox's intent, and a pleasing picture it is.
Old-Time Gardens|Alice Morse Earle

British Dictionary definitions for pleasing (1 of 2)

pleasing

/ (ˈpliːzɪŋ) /

adjective

giving pleasure; likable or gratifying

Derived Formspleasingly, adverbpleasingness, noun

British Dictionary definitions for pleasing (2 of 2)

please

/ (pliːz) /

verb

to give satisfaction, pleasure, or contentment to (a person); make or cause (a person) to be glad

to be the will of or have the will (to)if it pleases you; the court pleases

if you please if you will or wish, sometimes used in ironic exclamation

pleased with happy because of

please oneself to do as one likes

adverb

(sentence modifier) used in making polite requests and in pleading, asking for a favour, etcplease don't tell the police where I am

yes please a polite formula for accepting an offer, invitation, etc

Derived Formspleasable, adjectivepleased, adjectivepleasedly (ˈpliːzɪdlɪ), adverbpleaser, noun

Word Origin for please

C14 plese, from Old French plaisir, from Latin placēre to please, satisfy

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for pleasing

please

early 14c., "to be agreeable," from Old French plaisir "to please, give pleasure to, satisfy" (11c., Modern French plaire, the form of which is perhaps due to analogy of faire), from Latin placere "to be acceptable, be liked, be approved," related to placare "to soothe, quiet" (source of Spanish placer, Italian piacere), possibly from PIE *plak-e- "to be calm," via notion of still water, etc., from root *plak- (1) "to be flat" (see placenta).

Meaning "to delight" in English is from late 14c. Inverted use for "to be pleased" is from c.1500, first in Scottish, and paralleling the evolution of synonymous like (v.). Intransitive sense (e.g. do as you please) first recorded c.1500; imperative use (e.g. please do this), first recorded 1620s, was probably a shortening of if it please (you) (late 14c.). Related: Pleased; pleasing; pleasingly.

Verbs for "please" supply the stereotype polite word (e.g. "Please come in," short for may it please you to ...) in many languages (French, Italian), "But more widespread is the use of the first singular of a verb for 'ask, request' " [Buck, who cites German bitte, Polish proszę, etc.]. Spanish favor is short for hace el favor "do the favor." Danish has in this sense vær saa god, literally "be so good."

Idioms and Phrases with pleasing

please

see as you please.

pleasing

adjective

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of pleasing

Definition for pleasing (2 of 2)

please

adverb

verb (used with object), pleased, pleas·ing.

verb (used without object), pleased, pleas·ing.

Origin of please

Examples from the Web for pleasing

British Dictionary definitions for pleasing (1 of 2)

pleasing

adjective

British Dictionary definitions for pleasing (2 of 2)

please

verb

adverb

Word Origin for please

Word Origin and History for pleasing

please

Idioms and Phrases with pleasing

please