pleasing
- giving pleasure; agreeable; gratifying: a pleasing performance.
Origin of pleasing
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.complease
- (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?
- to like, wish, or feel inclined: Go where you please.
- to give pleasure or satisfaction; be agreeable: manners that please.
- if you please,
- if it be your pleasure; if you like or prefer.
- (used as an exclamation expressing astonishment, indignation, etc.): The missing letter was in his pocket, if you please!
Origin of please
Synonyms
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words
gratifying, satisfactory, satisfying, enjoyable, palatable, sweet, favorable, charming, pleasant, delightful, likable, attractive, delicious, agreeable, engaging, pleasurable, entertaining, amusing, good, darlingExamples from the Web for pleasing
Contemporary Examples
That plan is pleasing investors: After the layoffs were announced, Microsoft stock jumped 3.8 percent to a 14-year high.
She first gains the respect of Khal Drogo by pleasing him sexually.
He follows his own muse—he's a world-class weirdo—but at the same time, he's never solely concerned with pleasing himself.
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
The fable is fanciful and pleasing in itself; but will it not hereafter be believed as reality?
PhilotheaLydia 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. 5Woman's Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences
The ceremony is gone through for the sake of pleasing a deity.
Understanding the ScripturesFrancis McConnell
He knew that his appearance was quite as pleasing as that of his friend.
Her Father's DaughterGene Stratton-Porter
pleasing
- giving pleasure; likable or gratifying
please
- 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
- (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
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for pleasing
please
v.
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.