# pleasure

Pronunciation: US say "PLEZH-ur" /ˈplɛʒɚ/; UK say "PLEZH-uh" /ˈplɛʒə/

## Noun

1. The state of being pleased or contented; a feeling of enjoyment or gratification.
   - Simple: A happy feeling you get when you enjoy something.
   - _She sighed with pleasure as she sank into the warm bath._
   - _He takes great pleasure in cooking elaborate dinners for his friends._
2. A person, thing, or action that causes enjoyment for someone.
   - Simple: Something or someone that makes you happy or that you enjoy.
   - _Talking with you this evening has been a real pleasure._
   - _A hot shower after a long hike is one of life's small pleasures._
4. Enjoyment or gratification that is sexual in nature.
   - Simple: Enjoyment or good feelings that are sexual.
   - _Their lovemaking was unhurried, each partner attentive to the other's pleasure._
   - _Ancient erotic manuals treated pleasure as an art to be studied and refined._
5. What a person wants or would prefer, and also the will of someone in power.
   - Simple: What someone wants or would like, including what a person in charge wants.
   - _'What's your pleasure tonight, the steak or the salmon?' the waiter asked._
   - _Stay another night or leave at dawn, whatever your pleasure._

## Interjection

3. Used as a polite reply to thanks, or as a greeting, short for 'It's my pleasure' or 'It's a pleasure to meet you.'
   - Simple: A friendly way to answer 'thank you' or to say you are happy to meet someone.
   - _'Thank you for staying late to finish the report.' 'My pleasure. Happy to help.'_
   - _'Pleasure,' he said warmly, shaking hands around the table._

## Verb

7. To give sexual pleasure to someone.
   - Simple: To give someone good feelings during sex.
   - _She guided his hands, showing him how to pleasure her._
   - _He took his time pleasuring his partner, in no rush at all._
8. To give or afford enjoyment or satisfaction to someone.
   - Simple: To make someone feel happy, pleased, or satisfied.
   - _Few things pleasure him more than a quiet morning with the newspaper._
   - _The unexpected praise pleasured her more than she cared to admit._

## Verb

6. To take pleasure in something; to seek or pursue enjoyment. *(dated)*
   - Simple: To spend time enjoying yourself or having fun.

## Origin

It comes from Middle English plaisir 'pleasure', whose ending was later reshaped to match words in -ure (pleasur, plesur), from Old French plesir/plaisir 'to please' (an infinitive used as a noun), from Latin placeō 'to please, to seem good', whose deeper origin is uncertain.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/pleasure (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).