please
pleez
Please (verb) means to make someone happy or satisfied. Example: “It's hard to please everyone at once.”
verb
1
To make someone happy or satisfied.
"It's hard to please everyone at once."
"She worked hard to please her new boss."
"The chef cooked a special dessert to please the guests at the party."
adv
1
Used to make a request sound polite.
"Could you please pass the salt?"
"Please close the window before you leave the office tonight."
"Would you please speak a little more slowly?"
intj
1
Used to accept an offer politely.
""More tea?" "Yes, please.""
2
Used to express annoyance or disbelief.
"Oh, please — like that excuse would ever work."
"Please! You can't seriously expect me to believe that story."
"Oh, please, he never finishes anything he starts."
How to use please
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the verb meaning to make someone happy, or the everyday word we add to requests to be polite.
Common pairings
please and thank you
hard to please
yes, please
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Word forms
- Third person singular
- pleases
- Past tense
- pleased, pleas'd
- Archaic forms
- pleasest, pleasedst, pleaseth
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It's hard to _____ everyone at once.
Etymology
From Old French plaisir/plaire, from Latin placere ("to please, to seem good"). It displaced the older Old English word līcian, which survives today as "like."
Related words
Rhymes for please
See all rhymes for please →Frequently asked questions
What does “please” mean?
The word “please” means to make someone happy or satisfied. In plain terms, either the verb meaning to make someone happy, or the everyday word we add to requests to be polite.
How do you pronounce “please”?
“Please” is pronounced pleez (/pliz/ in IPA).
How do you use “please” in a sentence?
Here is “please” used in a sentence: “It's hard to please everyone at once.”
What part of speech is “please”?
Depending on how it is used, “please” can be a verb, an adverb and an intj.
Where does the word “please” come from?
The word “please” comes from Latin. From Old French plaisir/plaire, from Latin placere ("to please, to seem good"). It displaced the older Old English word līcian, which survives today as "like.".
Is “please” a common word?
“Please” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
How many meanings does “please” have?
“Please” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make someone happy or satisfied.
What is the difference between 'please' as a verb and 'please' as a polite word?
As a verb, 'please' means to make someone happy or satisfied, as in 'she aims to please.' As a courtesy word, 'please' softens a request ('Please sit down'). Same spelling, different jobs: the verb describes giving satisfaction, while the polite form simply makes an ask more courteous.
What does 'eager to please' mean?
Someone 'eager to please' is keen to make others happy and win their approval, often going out of their way to be helpful or agreeable. It can be a warm compliment, though it sometimes hints that a person tries too hard to satisfy everyone at their own expense.
What is the opposite of please?
In this sense the opposites are 'displease,' 'annoy,' 'upset,' and 'disappoint' — all meaning to make someone unhappy or dissatisfied. Where 'please' brings satisfaction and pleasure, these words describe the frustration or letdown felt when a person's wishes or expectations are not met.
What is an example of 'please' used as a verb?
'He works hard to please his customers,' 'It pleased her greatly to hear the news,' and 'You can't please everyone' all use the verb. It describes the act of giving someone pleasure, satisfaction, or contentment, whether through effort, words, or a happy outcome.
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