When there’s a pleasing outcome to something, you may overhear the person responsible saying “I aim to please”. This article does a brief deep dive into what this phrase means and how it may have originated. We will also discuss how the phrase is used through the use of example mini conversations. Let’s get straight to it.
What does the phrase “I aim to please” mean?
The phrase “I aim to please” can be interpreted as meaning “I intend to achieve (your) satisfaction”. Most of the time, the phrase is meant to be taken literally. In this case, it is a sincere way of saying that you’ve achieved your aim of making someone happy, and that you were eager to meet their expectation and provide an excellent service. It’s a form of humble bragging.
That said however, sometimes people use the phrase ironically or sarcastically, when the speaker isn’t interested in keeping someone happy.
Where does the phrase “I aim to please” come from?
The precise origin of this phrase is unclear, but it seems to have come into frequent use in the mid-19th century. The phrase draws from the words “aim”, which means intend, and comes from the 17th century, and the word “please” which comes from the Latin “placere” which means to be acceptable.
Phrases like “aim to please” and “we aim to please” have often been used in the marketing materials of small service-orientated organisations and businesses, such as barbers, shops, restaurants, cafes etc. to emphasise customer satisfaction. With one early use dating back as far as 1817, in the Madras Courier. In this context, the phrase tends to be used as more of a tagline rather than as a signature slogan, because it’s quite generic.
How people can use the phrase “I aim to please” - featuring whole sentence examples
The phrase “I aim to please” is most often said in response to a compliment, as it’s a quick and friendly way of acknowledging that you’re pleased to have satisfied someone in one way or another.
Here are some typical examples of the phrase in use in different contexts:
Restaurant patron: That’s fast service!
Waitress: We aim to please!
Partner A: I love coming home to a clean house and a warm meal.
Partner B: I aim to please. Now, let me open the wine and you can tell me all about your day.
Colleague 1: I love the way you responded to my constructive feedback. I can’t fault your work at all.
Colleague 2: I aim to please.
Final word
So, to sum up, the phrase “I aim to please” is usually a sincere response to a compliment where the speaker is glad that they have pleased someone. The phrase is thought to have become popularised through its use in the service industry, where the similar phrase “we aim to please” is often used as a tagline to emphasise how much they value their customer’s satisfaction, which is often key in business. The phrase appears to date back at least as far as the 1800s.
