pleasureless

Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Idioms.

Related to pleasureless: pleasurableness

pleas·ure

(plĕzh′ər)

1. The state or feeling of being pleased or gratified.

2. A source of enjoyment or delight: The graceful skaters were a pleasure to watch.

3. Amusement, diversion, or worldly enjoyment: "Pleasure ... is a safer guide than either right or duty" (Samuel Butler).

4. Sensual gratification or indulgence.

5. One's preference or wish: What is your pleasure?

v. pleas·ured, pleas·ur·ing, pleas·ures

v.tr.

To give pleasure or enjoyment to; gratify: Our host pleasured us with his company.

v.intr.

1. To take pleasure; delight: The hiker paused, pleasuring in the sounds of the forest.

2. To go in search of pleasure or enjoyment.

Idiom:

my pleasure

Used to acknowledge an expression of gratitude.

[Middle English, from Old French plaisir, from plaisir, to please; see please.]

pleas′ure·less adj.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Mentioned in ?

pleasure

References in classic literature ?

Rosamond had that morning entreated him to urge this step on Lydgate; and it seemed to him as if he were beholding in a magic panorama a future where he himself was sliding into that pleasureless yielding to the small solicitations of circumstance, which is a commoner history of perdition than any single momentous bargain.

View in context

It is mentally and morally injurious to man to do anything in which he does not find pleasure, and many forms of labour are quite pleasureless activities, and should be regarded as such.

View in context

It spangled on the water through which the boys now swam decorously to and fro under Patterson's tutelary gaze, executing pleasureless lengths in a brisk crawl as if clocking up merit points.