satisfy

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English

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Etymology

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From Middle English satisfyen, satisfien, from Old French satisfiier, satisfier (also Old French satisfaire), from Latin satisfacere, present active infinitive of satisfaciō, from satis (enough, sufficient) + faciō (I make, I do).

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: sat‧is‧fy

Verb

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satisfy (third-person singular simple present satisfies, present participle satisfying, simple past and past participle satisfied)

  1. (transitive, intransitive) To be enough (for)
    That brief explanation will never satisfy.
    1. (transitive) To meet the needs of, to fulfill the wishes or requirements of (someone).
      The final rehearsal of the day seemed to satisfy the director.
    2. (transitive) To provide what is wanted or required for (something).
      Even three giant helpings of turkey and ham didn't satisfy her appetite.
    • 1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. [], London: [] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker []; [a]nd by Robert Boulter []; [a]nd Matthias Walker, [], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: [], London: Basil Montagu Pickering [], 1873, →OCLC:
      Death shall [] with us two / Be forced to satisfy his ravenous maw.
    • 1980 March 7, Billy Joel, “You May Be Right”, in Glass Houses[1]:
      Now think of all the years you tried to
      Find someone to satisfy you
      I might be as crazy as you say
      If I'm crazy then it's true
      That it's all because of you
      And you wouldn't want me any other way
  2. (finance, transitive) To pay to the extent of what is claimed or due.
    to satisfy a creditor
  3. (law, transitive) To answer or discharge (a claim, debt, legal demand, etc.); to give compensation for.
    to satisfy a claim or an execution
  4. (mathematics, logic, transitive) To cause (a sentence) to be true when the sentence is interpreted in one's universe.
    The complex numbers satisfy .
  5. (dated, literary, transitive) To convince by ascertaining; to free from doubt.

Antonyms

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Translations

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Further reading

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