Link Centre Dictionary

pleasure

plea·sure

UK/ˈplɛʒə/ US/ˈplɛʒɚ/ very common formal

noun

1.

a fundamental feeling that is hard to define but that people desire to experience

  • “he was tingling with pleasure”
Synonyms
Antonyms
2.

something or someone that provides pleasure; a source of happiness

  • “a joy to behold”
  • “the pleasure of his company”
  • “the new car is a delight”
Synonyms
3.

a formal expression

  • “he serves at the pleasure of the President”
4.

an activity that affords enjoyment

  • “he puts duty before pleasure”
5.

sexual gratification

  • “he took his pleasure of her”

Origin

From Early Modern English pleasur, plesur, alteration (with ending accommodated to -ure) of Middle English plaisir (“pleasure”), from Old French plesir, plaisir (“to please”), infinitive used as a noun, conjugated form of plaisir or plaire, from Latin placeō (“to please, to seem good”), from the Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-k- (“wide and flat”). Related to Dutch plezier (“pleasure, fun”). More at please.

Phrases

  • at Her Majesty's pleasure
  • at His Majesty's pleasure
  • at one's pleasure
  • at pleasure
  • business before pleasure
  • do someone a pleasure
  • do someone the pleasure of
  • during Her Majesty's pleasure
  • pleasure oneself

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.