pleasure-ground

A family enjoys a sunny afternoon in the city's pleasure-ground.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A public park or garden designed for enjoyment and recreation: "pleasure-ground" refers to an area of land, often with lawns, trees, and paths, specifically laid out for leisure activities, strolling, or relaxation.
   • A place of amusement: It can also denote any outdoor space intended for entertainment, such as a fairground or pleasure garden.

Usage Examples

• (A public park for recreation.)
• (An outdoor space for amusement.)

Advanced Usage

• "pleasure-ground" is somewhat archaic or formal in modern English, often used in historical or literary contexts to describe formal gardens or estate grounds.
  • The manor's pleasure-ground featured a maze and a grotto. (The ornamental garden of a large estate.)

Variants and Related Words

• Pleasure garden (n): a synonym more commonly used in historical contexts for a public garden or amusement park.
  • The Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens were famous in 18th-century London. (A historic public garden.)
• Pleasure park (n): a modern synonym for an amusement park or theme park.
  • The children spent the day at the pleasure park. (An outdoor entertainment venue.)

Synonyms

• Park: a public area of land for recreation.
• Amusement park: a large outdoor area with rides and games.
• Garden: a cultivated area for pleasure, often attached to a house.
• Recreation ground: an open space for sports and games.

Related Idioms

• "pleasure-ground of the imagination": a metaphorical phrase meaning a place or state of mind where one freely enjoys creative thoughts.
  • For the poet, the countryside was a pleasure-ground of the imagination. (A source of creative inspiration.)