tease

[ teez ]

/ tiz /

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

to irritate or provoke with persistent petty distractions, trifling jests, or other annoyances, often playfully: If your little sister is teasing you about your boyfriend and following you around making kissy faces, it’s because she’s jealous and she wants your attention.

to bully, harass, or torment: I was teased about my lisp when I was younger.New animals are kept isolated when they first arrive at the sanctuary to prevent the established pack from teasing or frightening them.

Informal. to purposely excite or sexually arouse (someone) without subsequent gratification: Don’t tease me with vacation ideas you know we can’t afford!The bride-to-be teased her fiancé with a sexy little dance even though she knew they couldn’t go all the way with a house full of wedding guests.

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.

to introduce (a new product) without revealing details about it, conveying only that the product exists and will be available at a future date: Both developers teased next generation game consoles at the expo, but neither released specs.

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

to provoke, disturb, torment, or bully a person or animal with persistent annoyances or harassment.

noun

a person who teases or annoys.

Informal. a person who purposely excites or sexually arouses another, but then withholds gratification: The weatherman needs to stop being such a tease with these predicted snow days.All I did was set some sexual boundaries, but now he's spreading rumors that I'm a tease.

the act of teasing or the state of being teased.

Slang. teaser (def. 5a).

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What does “Indigenous” mean?

characterized by cleverness or originality of invention or construction.

carried on abroad, or with other countries.

relating to or being a people who are the original, earliest known inhabitants of a region, or are their descendants.

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Origin of tease

First recorded before 1000; Middle English tesen (verb), 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 SYNONYMS FOR tease ON THESAURUS.COM

ANTONYMS FOR tease

1 mollify.

SEE ANTONYMS FOR tease ON THESAURUS.COM

synonym study for tease

1. See bother.

OTHER WORDS FROM tease

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

un·teased, adjective

Words nearby tease

tear stone, tear strip, teary, teary-eyed, Teasdale, tease, teasel, teasel family, teasel gourd, tease out, teaser

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences 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 of tease

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

Medical 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.

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tease

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

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

noun

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Origin of tease

SYNONYMS FOR tease

ANTONYMS FOR tease

synonym study for tease

OTHER WORDS FROM tease

Words nearby tease

Example sentences from the Web for tease

British Dictionary definitions for tease

verb

noun

Derived forms of tease

Word Origin for tease

Medical definitions for tease

v.

MEANINGS

WORD GAMES

LEARN

WRITING

WORD OF THE DAY

tease

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

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

noun

QUIZZES

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Origin of tease

SYNONYMS FOR tease

ANTONYMS FOR tease

synonym study for tease

OTHER WORDS FROM tease

Words nearby tease

Words related to tease

Example sentences from the Web for tease

British Dictionary definitions for tease

verb

noun

Derived forms of tease

Word Origin for tease

Medical definitions for tease

v.