/ pliːz; NAmE / exclamation , verb
■ exclamation
1.
used as a polite way of asking for sth or telling sb to do sth :
Please sit down.
Two coffees, please.
Quiet please!
Please could I leave early today?
2.
used to add force to a request or statement :
Please don't leave me here alone.
Please, please don't forget.
Please, I don't understand what I have to do.
3.
used as a polite way of accepting sth :
'Would you like some help?' 'Yes, please.'
'Coffee?' 'Please.'
4.
Please! ( informal , often humorous ) used to ask sb to stop behaving badly :
Children, please! I'm trying to work.
John! Please!
5.
Please, P-lease /pəˈliːz/ used when you are replying to sb who has said sth that you think is stupid :
Oh, please! You cannot be serious.
■ verb
1.
to make sb happy :
[ vn ]
You can't please everybody.
He's a difficult man to please.
There's just no pleasing some people (= some people are impossible to please) .
I did it to please my parents.
[ v ]
She's always very eager to please.
[also vn to inf ]
OPP displease
2.
[ v ] often used after as or what , where , etc. to mean 'to want', 'to choose' or 'to like' to do sth :
You may stay as long as you please.
She always does exactly as she pleases.
I'm free now to live wherever I please.
•
IDIOMS
- if you please
- please the eye
- please God
- please yourself
- please yourself | do as you please
••
WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French plaisir to please, from Latin placere .