gratify

• POS: Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: grat=i=fy

CIDE DICTIONARY

gratify, v. t. [F. gratifier, L. gratificari; gratus pleasing + -ficare (in comp.) to make. See -fy.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "For who would die to gratify a foe?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To requite; to recompense.  [1913 Webster]

  "It remains . . .
  To gratify his noble service."

Syn. -- To indulge; humor please; delight; requite; recompense.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

gratify, v.tr. (-fies, -fied)
1 a please, delight. b please by compliance; assent to the wish of.
2 indulge in or yield to (a feeling or desire).

Derivative

gratification n. gratifier n. gratifying adj. gratifyingly adv.

Etymology

F gratifier or L gratificari do a favour to, make a present of, f. gratus pleasing

THESAURUS

gratify

achieve inner harmony, allay, appease, assuage, baby, board, bread, cater to, cheer, coddle, compensate, content, cosset, delectate, delight, dine, do proud, elate, favor, feast, feed, flush, fodder, forage, give way to, gladden, grass, graze, happify, humor, indulge, make proud, meat, mess, mollycoddle, oblige, pamper, pasture, please, pleasure, provision, put at ease, quench, recompense, regale, requite, reward, sate, satiate, satisfy, set at ease, slake, spoil, sustain, wine and dine, yield to

ROGET THESAURUS

gratify

Permission

VB permit, give permission, give power, let, allow, admit, suffer, bear with, tolerate, recognize, concede, accord, vouchsafe, favor, humor, gratify, indulge, stretch a point, wink at, connive at, shut one's eyes to, grant, empower, charter, enfranchise, privilege, confer a privilege, license, authorize, warrant, sanction, intrust, give carte blanche, give the reins to, give scope to, leave alone, leave it to one, leave the door open, open the door to, open the flood gates, give a loose to, let off, absolve, release, exonerate, dispense with, ask permission, beg permission, request permission, ask leave, beg leave, request leave.

Pleasurableness

VB cause pleasure, produce pleasure, create pleasure, give pleasure, afford pleasure, procure pleasure, offer pleasure, present pleasure, yield pleasure, please, charm, delight, becharm, imparadise, gladden, take, captivate, fascinate, enchant, entrance, enrapture, transport, bewitch, enravish, bless, beatify, satisfy, gratify, desire, slake, satiate, quench, indulge, humor, flatter, tickle, tickle the palate, regale, refresh, enliven, treat, amuse, take one's fancy, tickle one's fancy, hit one's fancy, meet one's wishes, win the heart, gladden the heart, rejoice the heart, warm the cockles of the heart, do one's heart good, attract, allure, stimulate, interest, make things pleasant, popularize, gild the pill, sugar-coat the pill, sweeten.

Content

VB be content, rest satisfied, rest and be thankful, take the good the gods provide, let well alone, let well enough alone, feel oneself at home, hug oneself, lay the flattering unction to one's soul, take up with, take in good part, accept, tolerate, consent, acquiesce, assent, be reconciled to, make one's peace with, get over it, take heart, take comfort, put up with, render content, set at ease, comfort, set one's heart at ease, set one's mind at ease, set one's heart at rest, set one's mind at rest, speak peace, conciliate, reconcile, win over, propitiate, disarm, beguile, content, satisfy, gratify, be tolerated, go down, go down well, go down with, do, be OK.