different between handsome vs pleasant
handsome
English
Etymology
From Middle English handsum, hondsom, equivalent to hand +? -some. Compare Dutch handzaam, German Low German handsaam. The original sense was ‘easy to handle or use’, hence ‘suitable’ and ‘apt, clever’ (mid 16th century), giving rise to the current appreciatory senses (late 16th century).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?hæn.s?m/ or occasionally /?hænd.s?m/~/?hænt.s?m/
- Hyphenation: hand?some
- Homophone: Hansom
Adjective
handsome (comparative more handsome or handsomer, superlative most handsome or handsomest)
- (of people, things, etc) Having a good appearance; good-looking.
- 1916, On H.R. 4683, site for post-office building at Chicago, Ill, page 117:
- On the opposite side of the street, on the corner, is the city hall, a very handsome building of brick and stone.
- 2006, Richard Leviton, The Gods in Their Cities, iUniverse (?ISBN), page 44:
- Often, human mortals describe their visits to the Tuatha's [places] in similar terms: they were great bright places, occupied by exceedingly handsome men and women, that sported wonderful crystal chairs, inexhaustible supplies of mead or ale ...
- (of a man or boy) Visually attractive; pleasant looking, good-looking.
- (of a woman) beautiful, or (especially in later usage) striking, impressive and elegantly proportioned.
- 1662, Samuel Pepys, diary
- I saw, I confess, some good dancing and some handsome women, which was all my pleasure.
- 1662, Samuel Pepys, diary
- 1916, On H.R. 4683, site for post-office building at Chicago, Ill, page 117:
- Good, appealing, appropriate.
- (of weather) Fine, clear and bright.
- 1808, John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, page 513:
- Sunday, the sixth, we heaved up our sheet-anchor again, the day beginning with little wind, and continued handsome weather till eight at night, when the wind came to S. S. W. and it fell a snowing.
- 1911, Farm Chemicals, page 60:
- The story goes that James Whitcomb Riley, the poet, on a beautiful spring day, in making his way from his home to his office, was accosted by numerous friends on the way who were exclaiming most extravagantly on the beauty of the day. It was "Good morning, Mr. Riley, a fine day;" "Good morning, Mr. Riley, […] a handsome day;" […] .
- 1808, John Pinkerton, A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, page 513:
- Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; appropriate.
- 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Volume I, Chapter 2
- For a few days, every morning visit in Highbury included some mention of the handsome letter Mrs. Weston had received. “I suppose you have heard of the handsome letter Mr. Frank Churchill has written to Mrs. Weston? I understand it was a very handsome letter, indeed. Mr. Woodhouse told me of it. Mr. Woodhouse saw the letter, and he says he never saw such a handsome letter in his life.”
- 1815, Jane Austen, Emma, Volume I, Chapter 2
- (of weather) Fine, clear and bright.
- Generous or noble in character.
- 1859, George Meredith, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Chapter 11:
- I'm a plain man, Mr. Feverel. Above board with me, and you'll find me handsome.
- 1859, George Meredith, The Ordeal of Richard Feverel, Chapter 11:
- Ample; moderately large.
- Synonyms: hefty, substantial
- (obsolete, said of things and people) Dexterous; skillful.
Usage notes
The sense of good looking was originally equally applicable to both sexes, but is now used mostly of men. In current usage, when applied to a woman it may connote a non-traditional or masculine form of beauty, as opposed to more neutral alternatives such as beautiful or attractive.
Derived terms
- do the handsome thing
Translations
Verb
handsome (third-person singular simple present handsomes, present participle handsoming, simple past and past participle handsomed)
- (transitive, obsolete) To render handsome.
References
Anagrams
- mashed on
handsome From the web:
- what handsome means
- what's handsome in korean
- what's handsome in spanish
- what's handsome in italian
- what's handsome in french
- what's handsome in japanese
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- what's handsome couple mean
pleasant
English
Etymology
Partly from Old French plaisant, partly from Middle English [Term?], present participle of English please. Related to Dutch plezant (“full of fun or pleasure”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /?pl?z?nt/
- Rhymes: -?z?nt
Adjective
pleasant (comparative pleasanter or more pleasant, superlative pleasantest or most pleasant)
- Giving pleasure; pleasing in manner.
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Psalm 133.1,[1]
- Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
- 1871, Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking-Glass, Chapter ,[2]
- “O Oysters, come and walk with us!”
- The Walrus did beseech.
- “A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
- Along the briny beach:
- 1989, Hilary Mantel, Fludd, New York: Henry Holt, 2000, Chapter 2, p. 25,[3]
- “ […] If you pray to St. Anne before twelve o’clock on a Wednesday, you’ll get a pleasant surprise before the end of the week.”
- 1611, King James Version of the Bible, Psalm 133.1,[1]
- (obsolete) Facetious, joking.
- c. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene 2,[4]
- […] tell the pleasant prince this mock of his
- Hath turn’d his balls to gun-stones […]
- 1600, Thomas Dekker, The Shoemaker’s Holiday, London, Dedication,[5]
- […] I present you here with a merrie conceited Comedie, called the Shoomakers Holyday, acted by my Lorde Admiralls Players this present Christmasse, before the Queenes most excellent Maiestie. For the mirth and pleasant matter, by her Highnesse graciously accepted; being indeede no way offensiue.
- c. 1598, William Shakespeare, Henry V, Act I, Scene 2,[4]
Synonyms
- agreeable
- nice
Antonyms
- disagreeable
- nasty
- unpleasant
Derived terms
Translations
Noun
pleasant (plural pleasants)
- (obsolete) A wit; a humorist; a buffoon.
- 1603, Philemon Holland (translator), The Philosophie, commonlie called the Morals written by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea, London, p. 1144,[6]
- […] Galba was no better than one of the buffons or pleasants that professe to make folke merry and to laugh.
- 1696, uncredited translator, The General History of the Quakers by Gerard Croese, London: John Dunton, Book 2, p. 96,[7]
- Yea, in the Courts of Kings and Princes, their Fools, and Pleasants, which they kept to relax them from grief and pensiveness, could not show themselves more dexterously ridiculous, than by representing the Quakers, or aping the motions of their mouth, voice, gesture, and countenance:
- 1603, Philemon Holland (translator), The Philosophie, commonlie called the Morals written by the learned philosopher Plutarch of Chæronea, London, p. 1144,[6]
Anagrams
- planates, platanes
pleasant From the web:
- what pleasant means
- what does pleasant mean
- what do pleasant mean
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