INDEX:
1. to enjoy doing something
2. to enjoy something, especially something bad or wrong
3. experiences and activities that you enjoy
4. someone who enjoys something very much
5. someone who people enjoy being with
6. when you do something for enjoyment
7. a feeling of enjoying something
8. to enjoy getting a lot of praise, attention etc
9. things you do for enjoyment
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ DISLIKE
see also
↑ LIKE
↑ HAPPY
↑ ENTHUSIASTIC/UNENTHUSIASTIC
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1. to enjoy doing something
▷ enjoy /ɪnˈdʒɔɪ/ [transitive verb]
to get pleasure from doing something :
▪ Did you enjoy the party?
enjoy doing something
▪ My father always enjoyed playing golf at weekends.
enjoy yourself
do things that make you feel happy
▪ The park was full of people enjoying themselves in the sunshine.
thoroughly/greatly enjoy
▪ Thanks for a lovely evening. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
▪ Most of the students said that they had really enjoyed the day out.
enjoy every minute/moment of something
▪ It was a wonderful vacation - we enjoyed every minute of it.
enjoy something immensely
especially British
▪ Parts of the play were extremely funny. I enjoyed it immensely.
▷ like /laɪk/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive]
to enjoy doing something, especially something that you do regularly or for a long time :
▪ I don’t like meetings, especially if they go on for too long.
like doing something
▪ We liked living abroad. It was a wonderful experience.
like to do something
do something often or regularly because you enjoy it
▪ Nick likes to relax and read a book in the evenings.
▷ love /lʌv/ [transitive verb not in progressive or passive] especially spoken
to enjoy doing something very much and get a lot of pleasure out of it :
▪ Cassie works in the theatre, and she really loves it.
love doing something
▪ Ben loves swimming, playing tennis, those kinds of thing.
love to do something
do something often or regularly because you enjoy it a lot
▪ She loved to sit in the park and feed the ducks.
▷ have a good/great/wonderful etc time /hæv ə ˌgʊd ˈtaɪm/ [verb phrase] especially spoken
to enjoy yourself very much when you are with other people :
▪ We had a great time last night - you should have come.
▪ Did you have a good time at the beach?
have a good/great etc time doing something
▪ The kids all had a wonderful time meeting up at each other’s houses.
▷ live it up/whoop it up /ˌlɪv ɪt ˈʌp, ˌwuːp ɪt ˈʌp/ [verb phrase] informal
to enjoy yourself very much by going out a lot and spending a lot of money on social activities :
▪ Pat spent most of his time at college going to parties and living it up.
▪ I had saved about two thousand dollars, so I decided to whoop it up in Vegas before going home.
▷ have fun /ˌhæv ˈfʌn/ [verb phrase]
to enjoy yourself with other people, for example by relaxing, talking, or laughing with them :
▪ I was having so much fun I forgot how late it was.
have fun doing something
▪ We had fun trying to guess who Mike’s new girlfriend was.
▷ have a blast/have a ball /ˌhæv ə ˈblɑːstǁ-ˈblæst, ˌhæv ə ˈbɔːl/ [verb phrase] especially American, informal
to have a very good time :
▪ We went down to the Gulf Coast of Florida for spring break - we had a blast!
▷ have the time of your life/have a whale of a time /hæv ðə ˌtaɪm əv jɔːʳ ˈlaɪf, hæv ə ˈweɪl əv ə ˌtaɪm/ [verb phrase] informal
to enjoy yourself very much :
▪ ‘Your vacation sounds fantastic.’ ‘We had the time of our lives!’
have the time of your life/have a whale of a time doing something
▪ Alan was having the time of his life, playing to an admiring audience.
▪ The kids all had a whale of a time, in and out of the pool all day.
▷ get a kick out of doing something /get ə ˌkɪk aʊt əv ˈduːɪŋ something/ [verb phrase]
to enjoy doing or seeing something :
▪ I get a real kick out of watching my son learning to speak.
▪ Jody got a kick out of trying some of the new video games.
2. to enjoy something, especially something bad or wrong
▷ revel in /ˈrev ə l ɪn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy something that most people would not like :
▪ Her job is very stressful, but she seems to revel in it.
revel in doing something
▪ Tom seems to revel in disagreeing with everything I say.
▷ get a kick out of /get ə ˈkɪk aʊt ɒv/ [verb phrase]
to enjoy doing something, especially something that is difficult, dangerous, or unkind :
▪ I love speaking to a large audience. I get a real kick out of it.
get a kick out of doing something
▪ Maggie seems to get a big kick out of flirting with other people’s husbands.
▷ relish /ˈrelɪʃ/ [transitive verb]
to very much enjoy doing something that is difficult or hurts other people :
▪ Setting up your own business is never easy, but Frank relished the challenge.
relish doing something
▪ The interviewer seemed to relish asking her personal questions.
relish the chance/opportunity to do something
▪ I stayed with an Israeli family, and relished the chance to soak up their culture at ground-level.
relish the thought/prospect/idea of doing something
relish the idea of doing something in the future
▪ She clearly relished the prospect of breaking the news to them.
▪ I really didn’t relish the idea of being alone for two weeks.
▷ gloat /gləʊt/ [intransitive verb]
to get pleasure from someone else’s failure or bad luck, especially when you have been more successful or luckier than them :
▪ ‘I told you that idea wouldn’t work.’ ‘Well, there’s no need to gloat.’
gloat about/at/over
▪ Jane used to gloat over other people’s misfortunes.
▪ ‘What are you gloating about?’ he said in an irritated voice.
▷ wallow in /ˈwɒləʊ ɪnǁˈwɑː-/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy being sad, feeling sorry for yourself etc, especially in order to make people notice you and pay attention to you :
wallow in grief/guilt/pity etc
▪ Since his girlfriend left him, he’s been wallowing in self-pity.
▪ Wallowing in angst at the unfairness of it all will only make the problem worse.
▷ take pleasure in /ˌteɪk ˈpleʒər ɪn/ [verb phrase]
to enjoy doing something bad to other people :
▪ Charlie’s always bullying the smaller kids. He seems to take pleasure in it.
take pleasure in doing something
▪ He appears to take pleasure in hurting her feelings.
▷ delight in /dɪˈlaɪt ɪn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy doing something that makes other people feel a little uncomfortable or embarrassed :
▪ Most people delight in a bit of scandal, especially when it involves public figures.
delight in doing something
▪ She’s the kind of woman who delights in pointing out other people’s mistakes.
3. experiences and activities that you enjoy
▷ enjoyable /ɪnˈdʒɔɪəb ə l/ [adjective]
an enjoyable activity, especially something you do with other people, is pleasant and interesting :
▪ We spent an enjoyable evening playing cards.
▪ I try to make my lessons more enjoyable by using games.
▷ fun /fʌn/ [uncountable noun] especially spoken
if something is fun, you enjoy it because it is very interesting and exciting :
▪ The course was really hard work but it was fun.
have fun
enjoy yourself with other people
▪ On Saturday night, all I want to do is relax and have some fun.
it is fun to do something/it is fun doing something
▪ It’s fun to eat out sometimes, instead of cooking at home.
▪ It’ll be fun seeing all my old friends again.
good/great fun
very enjoyable
▪ Have you ever been windsurfing? It’s really good fun.
somebody’s idea of fun
what someone enjoys doing, although other people might not
▪ Running around a freezing hockey field isn’t my idea of fun.
half the fun (of it)
almost as enjoyable as the experience itself
▪ Planning a vacation is half the fun of it.
fun [adjective]
▪ Hundreds of people were there and it was a really fun day out.
▷ pleasurable /ˈpleʒ ə rəb ə l/ [adjective] formal
giving you a lot of pleasure, enjoyment and satisfaction :
▪ The pleasurable effects of any drug quickly wear off.
▪ Once you are reasonably fit, you will find the exercise satisfying and pleasurable.
▷ pleasure /ˈpleʒəʳ/ [countable noun]
an experience or activity that makes you feel happy and satisfied :
▪ One of her greatest pleasures was walking in the mountains.
the simple pleasures (of life)
▪ Ted enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: his family, his home, and his garden.
be a pleasure to look at/watch/read etc
▪ A really good game of basketball is a pleasure to watch.
▷ be a delight /biː ə dɪˈlaɪt/ [verb phrase] formal
an event or activity that is a delight is extremely enjoyable, especially when you did not expect it to be :
▪ Sarah found that work was a delight compared to motherhood.
▪ The story’s really funny and the illustrations are a delight.
be a delight to hear/look at/ see etc
▪ Anna’s piano playing is a delight to listen to.
▷ be a blast /biː ə ˈblɑːstǁ-ˈblæst/ [verb phrase] American informal
to be very enjoyable and exciting :
▪ The party was a blast. We didn’t stop dancing till three in the morning.
▷ be a good laugh /biː ə ˌgʊd ˈlɑːfǁ-ˈlæf/ [verb phrase] British informal
to be enjoyable and amusing :
▪ We went skating on Saturday. I kept falling over, but it was a good laugh.
4. someone who enjoys something very much
▷ avid /ˈævɪd, ˈævəd/ [adjective only before noun]
avid reader/collector/listener
someone who enjoys reading, collecting something etc, and does it with great interest :
▪ Tim’s father is an avid collector of old blues and jazz records.
▪ As a keen writer and avid newspaper reader, Jenny had always wanted to be a journalist.
▷ keen /kiːn/ [adjective only before noun] British
keen gardener/sportsman/golfer/painter etc
someone who enjoys gardening, sport etc so much that they spend a lot of their free time doing it :
▪ Goethe was a keen amateur geologist.
▪ Paul, a keen sportsman, prided himself on his level of fitness.
▷ great /greɪt/ [adjective only before noun]
great traveller/reader/talker etc
someone who has an eager, lively interest in travelling, reading etc, so that they do it as often as they can :
▪ Thesiger was a great traveller, especially in Arabia and Africa.
be a great one for something
British
▪ I was never really a great one for sport as a child.
5. someone who people enjoy being with
▷ be good company /biː ˌgʊd ˈkʌmp ə ni/ [verb phrase]
if someone is good company, people enjoy spending time with them :
▪ Harry was such good company - always joking and full of fun.
▷ fun /fʌn/ [adjective] spoken
use this about people who are always cheerful, interesting, and amusing :
▪ Let’s invite Margot - she’s always fun.
be good/great fun British be a lot of fun
▪ I like Sam a lot - he’s good fun.
be fun to be with
▪ The O'Brien boys were always fun to be with.
a fun person/guy/girl
▪ Oh yes, I know Eddie - he’s a really fun guy.
▷ be a good laugh /biː ə ˌgʊd ˈlɑːfǁ-ˈlæf/ [verb phrase] British informal
to be amusing and cheerful when you are with other people :
▪ I’m glad Sylvia’s coming too - she’s a good laugh.
6. when you do something for enjoyment
▷ for fun /fəʳ ˈfʌn/ [adverb]
if you do something for fun, you do it because you enjoy it and not for any other reason :
▪ I only really started the shop for fun, but it’s been a huge success.
just for fun
▪ When we started our band we played music in restaurants just for fun.
▷ for a laugh /fər ə ˈlɑːfǁ-ˈlæf/ [adverb] British
in order to enjoy yourself and to make people laugh :
▪ I only entered the contest for a laugh, so I couldn’t believe it when I won!
▪ In the end Kelly admitted that she’d invented the story for a laugh.
▷ just (for) a bit of fun /dʒʌst (fər) ə bɪt əv, ˈfʌn/ [] British spoken
if something is just a bit of fun, it is done as a joke or for enjoyment, especially when other people do not approve :
▪ The two boys told the court that they stole the car - ‘just for a bit of fun’.
▪ Don’t get upset Mum - it was only a bit of fun.
▷ (just) for the hell of it /(ˌdʒʌst) fəʳ ðə ˈhel əv ɪt/ [adverb] informal
if you do something for the hell of it, you do it only because you enjoy it and for no other reason, especially something bad :
▪ We used to go out every Saturday night and get drunk, just for the hell of it.
▪ A lot of rich kids are turning to crime just for the hell of it.
▷ (just) for kicks /(ˌdʒʌst) fəʳ ˈkɪks/ [adverb] informal
for enjoyment - use this when someone does something that you strongly disapprove of, for example hurting another person, for enjoyment :
▪ Detectives say that the murderer is a ‘lunatic who kills for kicks’.
▪ Some kids steal from shops just for kicks.
7. a feeling of enjoying something
▷ enjoyment /ɪnˈdʒɔɪmənt/ [uncountable noun]
the feeling you get when you enjoy doing something :
get enjoyment out of something
▪ I get a lot of enjoyment out of working with young children.
enjoyment of
▪ A really good wine will add to your enjoyment of the meal.
▷ pleasure /ˈpleʒəʳ/ [uncountable noun]
the happy feeling you get when you are enjoying something :
get pleasure from something
▪ My father always got a lot of pleasure from being with his grandchildren.
do something for pleasure
because it gives you pleasure
▪ I don’t very often read for pleasure.
with pleasure
▪ I noticed with pleasure how much happier he seemed.
give/bring pleasure to somebody
make someone happy
▪ Her singing has given pleasure to so many people over the years.
take pleasure in (doing) something
▪ His French was excellent, and he took pleasure in speaking it.
▷ ecstasy /ˈekstəsi/ [uncountable noun]
a feeling of extreme enjoyment, happiness and satisfaction :
the ecstasy of (doing) something
▪ I remember the ecstasy of opening the letter and finding that I’d passed my exam.
in ecstasy
with great happiness and enjoyment
▪ The ball flew out of the stadium, and the Boston fans hugged each other in ecstasy.
sheer/pure ecstasy
complete ecstasy
▪ Just let the chocolate melt in your mouth. It’s sheer ecstasy!
8. to enjoy getting a lot of praise, attention etc
▷ bask in /ˈbɑːsk ɪnǁˈbæsk-/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy a situation where people are saying how good or successful you are :
▪ The group were clearly basking in the crowd’s adoration and applause.
bask in the glory/glow (of something)
▪ It was a tremendous victory for the team, and they sat back and basked in the glory.
▪ For several months I’d been basking in the glow of graduation, but now it was time to get a job.
▷ revel in /ˈrev ə l ɪn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy a situation where you get a lot of attention or praise :
▪ Barrymore clearly revels in the joy of entertaining an audience.
▪ During his visit, the President seemed to revel in the limelight.
▷ lap up /ˈlæp ʌp/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to enjoy getting a lot of attention or praise :
lap up something
▪ We all lapped up the five-star treatment on the ship.
lap something up
▪ Fred was in the middle of a group of girls, and was obviously lapping it up.
9. things you do for enjoyment
▷ recreation /ˌrekriˈeɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
activities, especially physical activities and games, that you do to enjoy yourself :
▪ The afternoons at the conference were left free for recreation.
▪ Vancouver is a city more in tune with outdoor recreation than cultural institutions.
recreational [adjective]
▪ The town’s recreational facilities were totally inadequate until the new sport center was built.
▷ leisure /ˈleʒəʳǁˈliː-/ [uncountable noun]
the time when you are not working, when you can enjoy yourself, especially by doing something relaxing :
▪ Your standard of living depends on your income and also on the amount of leisure you have.
leisure time/activity/facilities
▪ The reduction in average working hours has led to an increase in leisure time.
▪ A wide range of leisure activities such as swimming, fishing, and sailing are also available.