Definify.com

Webster 1913 Edition


Gratify

Grat′i-fy

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Gratified
(#)
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Gratifying
(#)
.]
[F.
gratifier
, L.
gratificari
;
gratus
pleasing +
-ficare
(in comp.) to make. See
-fy
.]
1.
To please; to give pleasure to; to satisfy; to soothe; to indulge;
as, to
gratify
the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, etc.
For who would die to
gratify
a foe?
Dryden.
2.
To requite; to recompense.
[Obs.]
Syn. – To indulge; humor please; delight; requite; recompense.
– To
Gratify
,
Indulge
,
Humor.
Gratify, is the generic term, and has reference simply to the pleasure communicated. To indulge a person implies that we concede something to his wishes or his weaknesses which he could not claim, and which had better, perhaps, be spared. To humor is to adapt ourselves to the varying moods, and, perhaps, caprices, of others. We gratify a child by showing him the sights of a large city; we indulge him in some extra expense on such an occasion; we humor him when he is tired and exacting.

Webster 1828 Edition


Gratify

GRAT'IFY

,
Verb.
T.
[L. gratificor; gratus, agreeable, and facio, to make.]
1.
To please; to give pleasure to; to indulge; as, to gratify the taste, the appetite, the senses, the desires, the mind, &c.
2.
To delight; to please; to humor; to soothe; to satisfy; to indulge to satisfaction.
For who would die to gratify a foe?
3.
To requite; to recompense.

Definition 2024


gratify

gratify

English

Verb

gratify (third-person singular simple present gratifies, present participle gratifying, simple past and past participle gratified)

  1. To please.
  2. To make content, to satisfy.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Antonyms

  1. To anger, disquiet, fluster, intimidate, or any of the like

Translations

External links

  • gratify in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913
  • gratify in The Century Dictionary, The Century Co., New York, 1911