Complaisance
Noun
Definition: The quality or state of being compliant or willing to please others; obligingness.
Definition: The act of complying with someone's wishes or desires in a gracious and willing manner.
Synonyms: Cooperation, Courtesy, Accommodation
Antonyms: Disobedience, Resistance, Stubbornness
- His complaisance towards his boss earned him a promotion.
- Sarah's natural complaisance made her a favorite among her colleagues.
- Think of "comply" and "pleasing" as keywords to remember the meaning of complaisance.
- Imagine someone being agreeable and willing to do what others ask, representing complaisance.
Etymology:
The word "complaisance" originated from the French word "complaisance" which means "willingness to please." It came into English usage in the late 17th century.
Historical Usage:Complaisance has been used consistently throughout history to describe the quality of being obliging and willing to please others.
Related Idioms:
"Bend over backward"
Explanation:This phrase means to go out of one's way to accommodate and please someone, demonstrating a high level of complaisance.
Misconceptions:
Confusing complaisance with compliance or complacency.
Explanation:While complaisance involves compliance and cooperation, it specifically implies a willingness and desire to please others, rather than just following orders or being passive.