What's the difference between dulcet and pleasing?

Dulcet


Definition:

  • (a.) Sweet to the taste; luscious.
  • (a.) Sweet to the ear; melodious; harmonious.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) They drifted in, to the smell of pork roasting and the dulcet tones of Billie Holiday.
  • (2) Of the 229 people detained as part of Operation Dulcet – the huge drive to bring lawbreakers to justice – 174 have been charged with offences including riotous assembly, affray, unlawful assembly, assault on police and criminal damage.
  • (3) Williams, 58, has reportedly learned to mimic Boyle's dulcet tones on a version of her audition song for the ITV talent show, I Dreamed a Dream.
  • (4) Think of writer and columnist Bryony Gordon’s revelations that her lover is so wrapped up in his job that he makes her have sex “to the dulcet tones of Jeremy Paxman berating an MP over the financial crisis”.
  • (5) Term for "female boss who doesn't always talk in the sweet dulcet tones of angels with the patience of a bank of saints": boss.
  • (6) Operation Dulcet is investigating rioting, hijacking of vehicles, attacks on politicians' offices, threats made against politicians, un-notified processions and social media-based offences.
  • (7) Preferable to a more sophisticated Zionist leadership that will throw sand in the eyes of the international community and talk in dulcet tones about a political agreement with the Palestinians, but will do all it can to prevent Palestinian independence.
  • (8) Still, it does give us the chance to hear the dulcet tones of Macy Gray again as she takes the reins midway through and carries the song to its heartfelt finale of – altogether now – "M.E.G.A, MegaUpload."

Pleasing


Definition:

  • (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Please
  • (a.) Giving pleasure or satisfaction; causing agreeable emotion; agreeable; delightful; as, a pleasing prospect; pleasing manners.
  • (n.) An object of pleasure.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) I can see you use humour as a defence mechanism, so in return I could just tell you that if he's massively rich or famous and you've decided you'll put up with it to please him, you'll eventually discover it's not worth it.
  • (2) We are pleased to see the process moving forward and look forward to its resolution,” a Target spokeswoman, Molly Snyder, said in an emailed statement.
  • (3) The prerequisite for all champions is the refusal to cave in, so City's equaliser with only three minutes remaining was pleasing.
  • (4) When Vladimir Putin kicks back on New Year's Eve with a glass of Russian-made champagne, and reflects on the year behind him, he is likely to feel rather pleased with himself at the way his foreign policy initiatives have gone in 2013.
  • (5) Chikavu Nyirenda, a leading political analyst, said: "She neglected to look at the local scene but spent a lot of time to please the west and promote herself."
  • (6) 3.14pm BST 14 mins: It's quite a pleasing thing that, some 22 years after the passback rule was put in place, fans still applaud a player heading the ball back to the keeper.
  • (7) I am pleased with that but disappointed with the result.
  • (8) Speaking about the player, who scored crucial goals for England during qualification for the 2014 World Cup, Hodgson said: “Andros was unlucky to lose his place in the squad when he wasn’t getting a regular game and he’s gone to Newcastle, got a regular game, and done very well there.” Expressing his delight in being selected, Townsend tweeted: “Huge honour to be named in provisional England squad for the euros ... Will give my all over next few weeks to try to make final squad!” Hodgson also declared himself pleased to include Jordan Henderson, who returned to action for Liverpool in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion having been out since early April with damaged knee ligaments.
  • (9) This is a very nice drug and I’m sure Merck are feeling very pleased with themselves.” Matt Kennedy, who led the trial at Merck, said: “Today there are very limited therapeutic options available for people with Alzheimer’s disease, and those that exist provide only short-term improvement to the cognitive and functional symptoms.
  • (10) And he pleased the audience with an acknowledgement that social work is a tough job and social workers only human.
  • (11) [The prime minister] is very pleased we’ve been able to secure this arrangement.
  • (12) In the email King sets out ways jobcentre staff can catch out claimants, saying: "You should consider every doubt – if you are unsure then please conference with me."
  • (13) Angela Merkel says she's very pleased to accept the invitation to Davos, at a time when global economic growth is modest.
  • (14) Ladies and gentlemen, please put your hands together for Charles Antaki, he's here all week, try the Imodium.
  • (15) "This has been a challenging time for the BMJ but I am very pleased the panel has taken the view that we acted appropriately," said BMJ editor in chief, Dr Fiona Godlee.
  • (16) Two British throwers up there, it's unheard of, I'm pleased with where the sport's going."
  • (17) • If you have experiences relating to this story that you would like to share, please email us in confidence at inequality.project@theguardian.com
  • (18) As the embattled NHS chief executive was grilled in the televised hearing, committee member Valerie Vaz told him: "Please don't feel that this is a trial."
  • (19) Please, forgive me,” Choi Soon-sil, a cult leader’s daughter with a decades-long connection to Park, said through tears inside the Seoul prosecutor’s building, according to Yonhap news agency.
  • (20) "Really, really pleased," said the world silver medallist.