Crossword clues for complacence
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Complacence \Com*pla"cence\, Complacency \Com*pla"cen*cy\, n. [LL. complacentia: cf. F. complaisance. See Complacent, and cf. Complaisance.]
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Calm contentment; satisfaction; gratification.
The inward complacence we find in acting reasonably and virtuously.
--Atterbury.Others proclaim the infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacency, if they discover none of the like in themselves.
--Addison. The cause of pleasure or joy. ``O thou, my sole complacence.''
--Milton.-
The manifestation of contentment or satisfaction; good nature; kindness; civility; affability.
Complacency, and truth, and manly sweetness, Dwell ever on his tongue, and smooth his thoughts.
--Addison.With mean complacence ne'er betray your trust.
--Pope.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
mid-15c., "pleasure," from Medieval Latin complacentia "satisfaction, pleasure," from Latin complacentem (nominative complacens), present participle of complacere "to be very pleasing," from com-, intensive prefix (see com-), + placere "to please" (see please). Sense of "pleased with oneself" is 18c.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context archaic English) Being complacent; a feeling of contentment or satisfaction; complacency. 2 (context obsolete English) pleasure, delight. 3 (context obsolete English) complaisance; a willingness to comply with others' wishes.
WordNet
n. the feeling you have when you are satisfied with yourself; "his complacency was absolutely disgusting" [syn: complacency, self-complacency, self-satisfaction]
Usage examples of "complacence".
Silo in the planning of full Roman citizenship for the Italians, but it now appeared his complacence had been mistaken.
With Salford one never knew, and a hint of complacence now would be remembered by the dear friends who were present, if he let another season go without making Caroline an offer, or offered instead for Sophia Bellerby, or the lovely Lady Mary Torrington.
Azazel, with remarkable complacence, there because I am about to be honored at a banquet for my contributions to the good of my people.
From this complacence, the critics have been emboldened to assume a dictatorial power, and have so far succeeded, that they are now become the masters, and have the assurance to give laws to those authors from whose predecessors they originally received them.
I say in complacence to him, because she always exprest the greatest contempt for dress, and for those ladies who made it their study.
But though this complacence to one whom the captain thoroughly despised, was not so uneasy to him as it would have been had any hopes of preferment made it necessary to show the same submission to a Hoadley, or to some other of great reputation in the science, yet even this cost him too much to be endured without some motive.
This affected contempt of life is only an excess of your complacence to me.
But there are other facts not of such consequence nor so necessary, which, though ever so well attested, may nevertheless be sacrificed to oblivion in complacence to the scepticism of a reader.
Fitzpatrick likewise offered to bear her cousin company, which Sophia, with much complacence, accepted.
This was communicated to Sophia by her aunt, and insisted upon in such high terms, that, after having urged everything she possibly could invent against it without the least effect, she at last agreed to give the highest instance of complacence which any young lady can give, and consented to see his lordship.
And all suspicions were afterwards laid asleep by the artful conduct of your sister, in pretending ill-will to the boy, and that any regard she shewed him was out of mere complacence to you.
In turn, that very complacence enabled the self-serving courtiers who deluded the Knez and almost drove the final nails into the Sodeskayan military coffin.