displease

English

Etymology

English dis- +‎ please, from Middle English displesen, from Anglo-Norman despleisir, desplere, from Old French desplere (des- + plere).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /dɪsˈpliːz/

• Audio (UK)

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• Rhymes: -iːz
• Hyphenation: dis‧please

Verb

displease (third-person singular simple present displeases, present participle displeasing, simple past and past participle displeased)

1. (transitive) To make not pleased; to cause a feeling of disapprobation or dislike in; to be disagreeable to; to vex slightly.

   The boy's rudeness displeased me.

   I felt displeased with the boy.

   • 1662, Thomas Cranmer [et al.], compilers, “The Psalms, Sixteenth Day, Evening Prayer”, in The Book of Common-Prayer, and Administration of the Sacraments, , London: John Bill, and Christopher Barker, , →OCLC:

     Wilt thou be displeased at us forever: and wilt thou stretch out thy wrath from one generation to another?

2. (intransitive) To give displeasure or offense.
3. (transitive, obsolete) To fail to satisfy; to miss of.
   • c. 1608–1611, Francis Beaumont, John Fletcher, “The Maid’s Tragedy”, in Comedies and Tragedies , London: Humphrey Robinson, , and for Humphrey Moseley , published 1679, →OCLC, Act IV, scene i:

     I shall displease my ends else.

Synonyms

• misplease

Antonyms

• please

Related terms

• displeasure

Translations

See also

• affront
• anger
• annoy
• chafe
• disgust
• dissatisfy
• offend
• provoke
• vex

Further reading

• “displease”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “displease”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “displease”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.