Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Pleasing"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Please \Please\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Pleased}; p. pr. & vb. n.
{Pleasing}.] [OE. plesen, OF. plaisir, fr. L. placere, akin
to placare to reconcile. Cf. {Complacent}, {Placable},
{Placid}, {Plea}, {Plead}, {Pleasure}.]
1. To give pleasure to; to excite agreeable sensations or
emotions in; to make glad; to gratify; to content; to
satisfy.

I pray to God that it may plesen you. --Chaucer.

What next I bring shall please thee, be assured.
--Milton.

2. To have or take pleasure in; hence, to choose; to wish; to
desire; to will.

Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did he. --Ps.
cxxxv. 6.

A man doing as he wills, and doing as he pleases,
are the same things in common speech. --J. Edwards.

3. To be the will or pleasure of; to seem good to; -- used
impersonally. ``It pleased the Father that in him should
all fullness dwell.'' --Col. i. 19.

To-morrow, may it please you. --Shak.

{To be pleased in} or {with}, to have complacency in; to take
pleasure in.

{To be pleased to do a thing}, to take pleasure in doing it;
to have the will to do it; to think proper to do it.
--Dryden.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Pleasing \Pleas"ing\, a.
Giving pleasure or satisfaction; causing agreeable emotion;
agreeable; delightful; as, a pleasing prospect; pleasing
manners. ``Pleasing harmony.'' --Shak. ``Pleasing features.''
--Macaulay. -- {Pleas"ing*ly}, adv. -- {Pleas"ing*ness}, n.

Syn: Gratifying; delightful; agreeable. See {Pleasant}.

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Pleasing \Pleas"ing\, n.
An object of pleasure. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

pleasing
adj 1: giving pleasure and satisfaction; "a pleasing piece of
news"; "pleasing in manner and appearance" [ant: {displeasing}]
2: aesthetically pleasing; "an artistic flower arrangement"
[syn: {aesthetic}, {esthetic}, {artistic}]
3: giving pleasure or satisfaction [syn: {appreciated}, {gratifying},
{satisfying}]
4: able to please or win approval
n : the act of one who pleases


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