pleasing

[plee-zing]

See more synonyms for pleasing on Thesaurus.com

adjective

giving pleasure; agreeable; gratifying: a pleasing performance.

Origin of pleasing

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

Related formspleas·ing·ly, adverbpleas·ing·ness, nounhalf-pleas·ing, adjectiveself-pleas·ing, adjectiveun·pleas·ing, adjective

Synonyms for pleasing

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pleasant, charming, delightful, engaging. See interesting.

please

[pleez]

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.

Idioms

if you please,
1. if it be your pleasure; if you like or prefer.
2. (used as an exclamation expressing astonishment, indignation, etc.): The missing letter was in his pocket, if you 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

Related formspleas·a·ble, adjectivepleas·ed·ly

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

Synonyms for please

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4. choose, desire, prefer.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words for pleasing

gratifying, satisfactory, satisfying, enjoyable, palatable, sweet, favorable, charming, pleasant, delightful, likable, attractive, delicious, agreeable, engaging, pleasurable, entertaining, amusing, good, darling

Examples from the Web for pleasing

Contemporary Examples of 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
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
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
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
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

Historical Examples of pleasing

The fable is fanciful and pleasing in itself; but will it not hereafter be believed as reality?
Philothea
Lydia Maria Child
Could any thing be pleasing to him, that you did not say or do?
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson
This meal is not in the least unusual, but it is very dainty and pleasing.
Woman's Institute Library of Cookery, Vol. 5
Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
The ceremony is gone through for the sake of pleasing a deity.
Understanding the Scriptures
Francis McConnell
He knew that his appearance was quite as pleasing as that of his friend.
Her Father's Daughter
Gene Stratton-Porter

British Dictionary definitions for pleasing

pleasing

adjective

giving pleasure; likable or gratifying

Derived Formspleasingly, adverbpleasingness, noun

please

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.