Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Pleasure
1.
The gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish, or happiness produced by the expectation or the enjoyment of something good, delightful, or satisfying; – opposed to
pain
, sorrow
, etc. At thy right hand there are
pleasures
for evermore. Ps. xvi. 11.
2.
Amusement; sport; diversion; self-indulgence; frivolous or dissipating enjoyment; hence, sensual gratification; – opposed to labor, service, duty, self-denial, etc.
“Not sunk in carnal pleasure.” Milton.
He that loveth
pleasure
shall be a poor man. Prov. xxi. 17.
Lovers of
pleasures
more than lovers of God. 2 Tim. iii. 4.
3.
What the will dictates or prefers as gratifying or satisfying; hence, will; choice; wish; purpose.
“He will do his pleasure on Babylon.” Isa. xlviii. 14.
Use your
pleasure
; if your love do not presuade you to come, let not my letter. Shakespeare
4.
That which pleases; a favor; a gratification.
Shak.
Festus, willing to do the Jews a
pleasure
Acts xxv. 9.
At pleasure
, by arbitrary will or choice.
Dryden.
– To take pleasure in
, to have enjoyment in.
Ps. cxlvii. 11.
☞ Pleasure is used adjectively, or in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, pleasure boat, pleasure ground; pleasure house, etc.
Syn. – Enjoyment; gratification; satisfaction; comfort; solace; joy; gladness; delight; will; choice; preference; purpose; command; favor; kindness.
Pleas′ure
,Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Pleasured
; p. pr. & vb. n.
Pleasuring
.] To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify.
Shak.
[Rolled] his hoop to
pleasure
Edith. Tennyson.
Pleas′ure
,Verb.
I.
To take pleasure; to seek pursue pleasure;
as, to go
. pleasuring
Webster 1828 Edition
Pleasure
PLEASURE
,Noun.
1.
The gratification of the senses or of the mind; agreeable sensations or emotions; the excitement, relish or happiness produced by enjoyment or the expectation of good; opposed to pain. We receive pleasure from the indulgence of appetite; from the view of a beautiful landscape; from the harmony of sounds; from agreeable society; from the expectation of seeing an absent friend; from the prospect of gain or success of any kind. Pleasure, bodily and mental, carnal and spiritual, constitutes the whole of positive happiness, as pain constitutes the whole of misery.Pleasure is properly positive excitement of the passions or the mind; but we give the name also to the absence of excitement, when that excitement is painful; as when we cease to labor, or repose after fatigue, or when the mind is tranquilized after anxiety or agitation.
Pleasure is susceptible of increase to any degree; but the word when unqualified, expresses less excitement or happiness than delight or joy.
2.
Sensual or sexual gratification.3.
Approbation. The Lord taketh pleasure in his people. Ps. 147.
and 149.
4.
What the will dictates or prefers; will; choice; purpose; intention; command; as, use your pleasure. Cyrus, he is my shepherd and shall perform all my pleasure. Is.44.
My counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure.
Is.46.
5.
A favor; that which pleases. Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure, answered Paul. Acts.25.
6.
Arbitrary will or choice. He can vary his scheme at pleasure.Definition 2024
pleasure
pleasure
English
Noun
pleasure (plural pleasures)
- (uncountable) A state of being pleased.
- He remembered with pleasure his home and family.
- I get a lot of pleasure from watching others work hard while I relax.
- 2012 April 22, Sam Sheringham, “Liverpool 0-1 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:
- But the only statistic that will concern West Brom will be the scoreline, and their manager Roy Hodgson will take considerable pleasure from a victory over the club he managed for just 191 days.
- (countable) A person, thing or action that causes enjoyment.
- It was a pleasure to meet you.
- Having a good night's sleep is one of life's little pleasures.
- Bible, Acts xxv. 9
- Festus, willing to do the Jews a pleasure
- 1898, Winston Churchill, chapter 8, in The Celebrity:
- The humor of my proposition appealed more strongly to Miss Trevor than I had looked for, and from that time forward she became her old self again; […] . Now she had come to look upon the matter in its true proportions, and her anticipation of a possible chance of teaching him a lesson was a pleasure to behold.
- 2013 May 17, George Monbiot, “Money just makes the rich suffer”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 188, number 23, page 19:
- In order to grant the rich these pleasures, the social contract is reconfigured. The welfare state is dismantled. […]
- (uncountable) One's preference.
- What is your pleasure: coffee or tea?
- (formal, uncountable) The will or desire of someone or some agency in power.
- to hold an office at pleasure: to hold it indefinitely until it is revoked
- to be imprisoned at Her Majesty's pleasure: to be imprisoned indefinitely
- at Congress's pleasure: whenever or as long as Congress desires
- Bible, Isaiah xlviii. 14
- He will do his pleasure on Babylon.
- William Shakespeare (1564-1616)
- Use your pleasure; if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.
Synonyms
- (state of mind) delight, gladness, gratification, happiness, indulgence, satisfaction
- (person or thing that causes enjoyment): delight, joy
- (preference) desire, fancy, want, will, wish
- (will or desire of party in power) discretion
Antonyms
Translations
a state of being pleased
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person or thing that causes enjoyment
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one's preference
the will or desire of someone or some agency in power
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Derived terms
Related terms
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Interjection
pleasure
Related terms
Verb
pleasure (third-person singular simple present pleasures, present participle pleasuring, simple past and past participle pleasured)
- (transitive) To give or afford pleasure to; to please; to gratify.
- (Can we find and add a quotation of Shakespeare to this entry?)
- Tennyson
- [Rolled] his hoop to pleasure Edith.
- (transitive) To give sexual pleasure to.
- Johnny pleasured Jackie orally last night.
- (intransitive, dated) To take pleasure; to seek or pursue pleasure.
- to go pleasuring