n. 1. Archaic Pleasure or a source of pleasure. 2. A secluded garden or landscaped area. [Middle English plaisaunce, pleasantness, source of pleasure, from Old French plaisance, from plaisant, pleasant; see PLEASANT. Sense 2, originally Scots, after the Pleasance, a street in Edinburgh noted for its pleasure-grounds or walks in the 1500s.] |
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