Aesthetic... (adjective)
concerned with beauty or the appreciation of beauty : the pictures give great aesthetic pleasure.
• giving or designed to give pleasure through beauty; of pleasing appearance.
noun [in sing. ]
a set of principles underlying and guiding the work of a particular artist or artistic movement : the Cubist aesthetic.
DERIVATIVES
aesthetically |-ik(ə)lē| |ɛsˈθɛdək(ə)li| |əsˈθɛdək(ə)li| adverb : [as submodifier ] an aesthetically pleasing color combination.
ORIGIN late 18th cent. (in the sense [relating to perception by the senses] ): from Greek aisthētikos, from aisthēta ‘perceptible things,’ from aisthesthai ‘perceive.’ The sense [concerned with beauty] was coined in German in the mid 18th cent. and adopted into English in the early 19th cent., but its use was controversial until late in the century.
Pleasure...(noun)
a feeling of happy satisfaction and enjoyment : she smiled with pleasure at being praised.
• enjoyment and entertainment, contrasted with things done out of necessity : she had not traveled for pleasure for a long time.
• an event or activity from which one derives enjoyment : the car makes driving in the city a pleasure.
• sensual gratification.
adjective [ attrib. ]
used or intended for entertainment rather than business : pleasure boats.
verb [ trans. ]
give sexual enjoyment or satisfaction to : tell me what will pleasure you.
• [ intrans. ] ( pleasure in) derive enjoyment from : risky verbal exchanges that the pair might pleasure in.
ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French plaisir ‘to please’ (used as a noun). The second syllable was altered under the influence of abstract nouns ending in -ure, such as measure.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
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