gratification

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grat·i·fy

(grăt′ə-fī′)

tr.v. grat·i·fied, grat·i·fy·ing, grat·i·fies

1. To please or satisfy: My good grades gratify my parents. See Synonyms at please.

2. To give in to (a desire); indulge: He gratified his curiosity by going to the exhibit.

3. Archaic To reward.

[Middle English gratifien, to favor, from Latin grātificārī : grātus, pleasing; see g^werə- in Indo-European roots + -ficārī, -fy.]

grat′i·fi·ca′tion (-fĭ-kā′shən) n.

grat′i·fi′er n.

grat′i·fy′ing adj.

grat′i·fy′ing·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

gratification

(ˌɡrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən)

1. the act of gratifying or the state of being gratified

2. something that gratifies

3. an obsolete word for gratuity

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

grat•i•fi•ca•tion

(ˌgræt ə fɪˈkeɪ ʃən)

n.

1. the state of being gratified.

2. something that gratifies; source of pleasure or satisfaction.

3. the act of gratifying.

4. Archaic. a recompense.

[1590–1600; < Latin]

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Noun	1.	gratification - state of being gratified or satisfied; "dull repetitious work gives no gratification"; "to my immense gratification he arrived on time" satisfaction emotional state, spirit - the state of a person's emotions (especially with regard to pleasure or dejection); "his emotional state depended on her opinion"; "he was in good spirits"; "his spirit rose" quality of life - your personal satisfaction (or dissatisfaction) with the cultural or intellectual conditions under which you live (as distinct from material comfort); "the new art museum is expected to improve the quality of life" comfort - satisfaction or physical well-being provided by a person or thing; "his friendship was a comfort"; "a padded chair was one of the room's few comforts"
	2.	gratification - the act or an instance of satisfying satisfaction - act of fulfilling a desire or need or appetite; "the satisfaction of their demand for better services" satiation - the act of achieving full gratification head trip, self-gratification - the act of satisfying your own desires and giving yourself pleasure humoring, indulging, pampering, indulgence - the act of indulging or gratifying a desire pleasing - the act of one who pleases

gratification

noun

1. satisfaction, delight, pleasure, joy, thrill, relish, enjoyment, glee, kick or kicks (informal) Eventually they recognised him, much to his gratification.
satisfaction pain, disappointment, frustration, sorrow, dissatisfaction

2. indulgence, satisfaction, fulfilment the gratification of his every whim
indulgence control, discipline, frustration, restraint, denial

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

Translations

soddisfazione gratificazione

gratification

[ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən] N

1. (= satisfaction) → satisfacción f
to my great gratification → con gran satisfacción mía

2. (= reward) → gratificación f, recompensa f

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

gratification

[ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃ^ən] n → satisfaction f

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

gratification

(= pleasure) → Genugtuung f; it is a source of great gratification to me → ich empfinde große Genugtuung darüber

(= satisfying: of desires etc) → Befriedigung f

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

gratification

[ˌgrætɪfɪˈkeɪʃ/ən] n → soddisfazione f

Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

gratification

n (psych) gratificación f

References in classic literature ?

As these patient drudges were mingling their tears, they were notified that they must go on duty again, for one of the political parties had nominated a thief and was about to hold a gratification meeting.

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As a very distinguished flirt I have always been taught to consider her, but it has lately fallen In my way to hear some particulars of her conduct at Langford: which prove that she does not confine herself to that sort of honest flirtation which satisfies most people, but aspires to the more delicious gratification of making a whole family miserable.

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The liberal party said that marriage is an institution quite out of date, and that it needs reconstruction; and family life certainly afforded Stepan Arkadyevitch little gratification, and forced him into lying and hypocrisy, which was so repulsive to his nature.

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They express the consciousness that you have no enemy to punish, but that you have pain; the consciousness that in spite of all possible Wagenheims you are in complete slavery to your teeth; that if someone wishes it, your teeth will leave off aching, and if he does not, they will go on aching another three months; and that finally if you are still contumacious and still protest, all that is left you for your own gratification is to thrash yourself or beat your wall with your fist as hard as you can, and absolutely nothing more.

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All he cared about was gaiety and women, and as according to his ideas there was nothing dishonorable in these tastes, and he was incapable of considering what the gratification of his tastes entailed for others, he honestly considered himself irreproachable, sincerely despised rogues and bad people, and with a tranquil conscience carried his head high.

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He well knew that fortune is generally the principal, if not the sole, consideration, which operates on the best of parents in these matters: for friendship makes us warmly espouse the interest of others; but it is very cold to the gratification of their passions.

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The lives of those rural forefathers, whom we are apt to think very prosaic figures--men whose only work was to ride round their land, getting heavier and heavier in their saddles, and who passed the rest of their days in the half-listless gratification of senses dulled by monotony--had a certain pathos in them nevertheless.

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Leo Hunter, Sir, to have the gratification of seeing you at the Den.'

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The former was for Sir John's gratification, the latter for that of his lady.

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It is an emotion made up of the satisfaction in security, pride of property, the pleasure of being desired, the gratification of a household, and it is only by an amiable vanity that women ascribe to it spiritual value.

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I saw she was out of humour, and I derived a secret gratification from the fact, not that she was vexed, but that she thought she had reason to be so.

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If anyone lift the cloth from the face of that unpleasant thing it will be in gratification of a mere morbid curiosity.