tease

[ teez ]

/ tiz /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR tease ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object), teased, teas·ing.

to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling raillery, or other annoyance, often in sport.

to pull apart or separate the adhering fibers of (wool or the like), as in combing or carding; comb or card, as wool; shred.

to ruffle (the hair) by holding it at the ends and combing toward the scalp so as to give body to a hairdo.

to raise a nap on (cloth) with teasels; teasel.

Also teaser. Television Slang. a short scene or highlight shown at the beginning of a film or television show to attract the audience's attention.

verb (used without object), teased, teas·ing.

to provoke or disturb a person or animal by importunity or persistent petty annoyances.

noun

a person who teases or annoys.

the act of teasing or the state of being teased.

Nearby words

tears, tearstain, teary, teary-eyed, teasdale, tease, tease out, teasel, teasel family, teasel gourd, teaser

Origin of tease

before 1000; Middle English tesen (v.), Old English tǣsan to pull, tear, comb; cognate with Middle Low German tesen, Old High German zeisan to pluck

SYNONYMS FOR tease

1 trouble, disturb, vex; harass.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR tease ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR tease

1 mollify.

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Related forms

teas·a·ble, adjectiveteas·a·ble·ness, nounteas·ing·ly, adverbout·tease, verb (used with object), out·teased, out·teas·ing.

un·teased, adjective

Synonym study

1. See bother.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for tease

He proceeds to tease me, asking if our interview is “secretly a date?”
My Bizarre Night With James Deen, Libertarian Porn Star|Emily Shire|November 12, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The sexual acts are mysterious, unpredictable, and passionate; they tease your senses.
What Porn Stars Find Sexy on TV: From ‘Game of Thrones’ to ‘Deadliest Catch’|Aurora Snow|September 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
We were about to go to sleep, but I decided to tease him about his weird habit of having the pillow a certain way on the bed.
I Was Pregnant When He Hit Me. Here's #WhyIStayed.|Anonymous|September 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Journalism assumes an immutable truth, that a few more calls, a bit more reporting will tease it out of reluctant informants.
We Interrupt This Broadcast: How a TV Producer Learned to Write Fiction|George Lerner|September 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Harry appeared to tease his blond friend after the wardrobe malfunction was spotted.
Butt-Flashing? Don't Worry, My Sister-in-Law Kate Middleton Does That All The Time!!|Tom Sykes|June 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
I cannot say at what age I made my first kites, but I remember how my comrades used to tease me at our game of "Pigeon flies!"
My Airships|Alberto Santos-Dumont
The Emperor continued to tease and quiz, pulling Betsy's ear or her dress, and always managing to escape being caught.
Napoleon's Young Neighbor|Helen Leah Reed
That after all that has vexed him this week, I should tease him with such a trick.
The Heir of Redclyffe|Charlotte M. Yonge
They tried to tease Pete on the afternoons performance that evening, but Pete was invulnerable to gibes.
On Your Mark!|Ralph Henry Barbour
It will be dreadfully difficult to tease Robert, because he is so direct and simple, but I must try, I suppose.
Red Hair|Elinor Glyn

British Dictionary definitions for tease

tease

/ (tiːz) /

verb

to annoy (someone) by deliberately offering something with the intention of delaying or withdrawing the offer

to arouse sexual desire in (someone) with no intention of satisfying it

to vex (someone) maliciously or playfully, esp by ridicule

(tr) to separate the fibres of; comb; card

(tr) to raise the nap of (a fabric) with a teasel

Also: backcomb US and Canadian to comb the under layers of (the hair) towards the roots to give more bulk to a hairstyle

(tr) to loosen or pull apart (biological tissues, etc) by delicate agitation or prodding with an instrument

noun

a person or thing that teases

the act of teasing

Derived Forms

teasing, adjectiveteasingly, adverb

Word Origin for tease

Old English tǣsan; related to Old High German zeisan to pick

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medicine definitions for tease

tease

[ tēz ]

v.

To separate the structural parts of a tissue, as with a needle, in order to prepare it for microscopic examination.

tease

verb (used with object), teased, teas·ing.

verb (used without object), teased, teas·ing.

noun

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RELATED WORDS

Nearby words

Origin of tease

SYNONYMS FOR tease

ANTONYMS FOR tease

Related forms

Synonym study

Examples from the Web for tease

British Dictionary definitions for tease

tease

verb

noun

Derived Forms

Word Origin for tease

Medicine definitions for tease

tease

v.