please

verb

1. (ambitransitive)To make happy or satisfy; to give pleasure to.

   “Her presentation pleased the executives.”

   “I'm pleased to see you've been behaving yourself.”

   “Our new range of organic foods is sure to please.”

   “And so it had always pleased M. Stutz to expect great things from the dark young man whom he had first seen in his early twenties ; and his expectations had waxed rather than waned on hearing the faint bruit of the love of Ivor and Virginia—for Virginia, M. Stutz thought, would bring fineness to a point in a man like Ivor Marlay, […].”

   “World tour, media whore / "Please the Press in Belgium!" / This was your life”

2. (ergative, intransitive)To desire; to will; to be pleased by.

   “Just do as you please.”

   “He doesn't think, he just says whatever he pleases.”

   “Whatsoeuer the Lord pleased, that did he in heauen and in earth: in the Seas, and all deepe places.”

   ““Will any gentleman please to get outside and make room for a lady?””

adv

1. (not-comparable)Used to make a polite request.

   “Please, pass the bread.”

   “Would you please sign this form?”

   “Could you tell me the time, please?”

   “May I take your order, please?”

   “Q: Should I call him to confirm? A: Please do.”

intj

1. (often)Used as an affirmative to an offer.

   “Near-synonym: thank you”

   “May I help you? —(Yes,) please.”

   “D'you mind if I open the window? —Please do.”

2. An expression of annoyance, impatience, or exasperation.

   “Oh, please, do we have to hear that again?”

   “So it's safe to let a 10-year-old use a gun? Please.”

   “So now I have to go back there a third time? Please!”

3. An expression of annoyance, impatience, or exasperation.

   “Near-synonyms: enough, enough already, that's enough, no more, cut it out, knock it off, shut up, STFU”

   “Please with that damn harmonica!”

   “Please with all the ads, I just want to watch the movie.”

4. (Cincinnati)Said as a request to repeat information.

   “Customer while ordering: Can I get a [unintelligible]? Restaurant employee: Please?”

   “Fellow: May I have a few days off to get married? Reply, in the Cincinnati idiom by a boss who had heard the sound but not the sense: Boss: Please?”

   “Even though I heard it was supposed to be German-Catholic background, there’s only one thing German — they say ‘please’ [for the more common ‘pardon me’], which comes from bitte.”

   “[…] He explained in broken English that one of his daughters was ill and he probably could not be there. I did not understand all that he said, so asked, ‘Please?’ per Cincinnati custom. ‘There is no need to plead. I will be there if she is feeling better,’ he replied.”

   “Cincinnati are some of the most polite persons I have ever met in the US. When asking someone a question, instead of saying “Excuse me,” or “Pardon,” they say “Please?””