Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Gratify
Grat′i-fy
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Gratified
(#)
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Gratifying
(#)
.] 1.
To please; to give pleasure to; to satisfy; to soothe; to indulge;
as, to
gratify
the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, etc.For who would die to
gratify
a foe? Dryden.
2.
To requite; to recompense.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To indulge; humor please; delight; requite; recompense.
– To
Gratify
, Indulge
, Humor.
Gratify, is the generic term, and has reference simply to the pleasure communicated. To indulge a person implies that we concede something to his wishes or his weaknesses which he could not claim, and which had better, perhaps, be spared. To humor is to adapt ourselves to the varying moods, and, perhaps, caprices, of others. We gratify a child by showing him the sights of a large city; we indulge him in some extra expense on such an occasion; we humor him when he is tired and exacting. Webster 1828 Edition
Gratify
GRAT'IFY
,Verb.
T.
1.
To please; to give pleasure to; to indulge; as, to gratify the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, &c.2.
To delight; to please; to humor; to soothe; to satisfy; to indulge to satisfaction. For who would die to gratify a foe?
3.
To requite; to recompense.