tickle

[ tik-uhl ]

verb (used with object)

, tick·led, tick·ling.

1. to touch or stroke lightly with the fingers, a feather, etc., so as to excite a tingling or itching sensation in; titillate.
2. to poke some sensitive part of the body so as to excite spasmodic laughter.
3. to excite agreeably; gratify:

   to tickle someone's vanity.

4. to excite amusement in:

   The clown's antics really tickled the kids.

   Synonyms: enchant, delight, please, amuse

5. to get, move, etc., by or as by tickling:

   She tickled him into saying yes.

6. to stroke the underbelly of (a fish, especially a trout) until it goes into a trancelike state, making it possible to scoop it out of the water: the ability to tickle a fish, often contested as more mythical than actual, has been written of and embellished on since ancient times:

   He tickled that fish until it stopped moving, and the next thing I knew, we were having trout for dinner!

verb (used without object)

, tick·led, tick·ling.

1. to be affected with a tingling or itching sensation, as from light touches or strokes:

   I tickle all over.

2. to produce such a sensation.

noun

1. an act or instance of tickling.
2. a tickling sensation.

tickle

/ ˈtɪkəl /

verb

1. to touch, stroke, or poke (a person, part of the body, etc) so as to produce pleasure, laughter, or a twitching sensation
2. tr to excite pleasurably; gratify
3. tr to delight or entertain (often in the phrase tickle one's fancy )
4. intr to itch or tingle
5. tr to catch (a fish, esp a trout) by grasping it with the hands and gently moving the fingers into its gills
6. tickle pink informal.
   tickle pinktickle to death to please greatly

   he was tickled pink to be elected president

noun

1. a sensation of light stroking or itching
2. the act of tickling
3. (in the Atlantic Provinces) a narrow strait

Derived Forms

• ˈtickly, adjective

Other Words From

• un·tickled adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tickle¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English tikelen; further origin uncertain; perhaps frequentative of tiken “to touch lightly”; tick ¹ (in obsolete sense “to touch lightly”)

Word History and Origins

Origin of tickle¹

C14: related to Old English tinclian, Old High German kizziton, Old Norse kitla, Latin titillāre to titillate

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. tickled pink, Informal. greatly pleased:

   She was tickled pink that he had remembered her birthday.

Example Sentences

The room-sized installation “Habeas Corpus” lures you through its door with the visual tickle of a disco ball.

From Washington Post

At home, buyers build their own tacos using the accompanying tender corn tortillas, Carolina rice, sparkling pico de gallo and a salsa verde that leaves a tickle of heat in your throat.

From Washington Post

She can’t smell and feels anxiety at the pang of a headache or tickle of a cough, worried that somehow she has been stricken anew by a virus that has already taken so much from her.

From Washington Post

So instead she self-monitors and loads up on vitamin C and zinc, hoping the tickle in her throat disappears.

From Washington Post

It feels like a strong tickle in a space behind the eyes and is capable of inducing tears.

From Fortune

He obliged and as we stood for the picture my CP caused me to involuntarily tickle him.

From The Daily Beast

Best Moment: When Galifianakis attempts to make Cera tickle his thigh (with disappointing results).

From The Daily Beast

Guys, it distinctly says “tickle me” Elmo, not “hand-to-hand combat over me” Elmo.

From The Daily Beast

Nearly as outrageous was the $2,000 some early buyers were reselling their tickle-me toys for on secondhand markets.

From The Daily Beast

The stretchy, leathery ring keeps you hard while the eyelashes tickle the vadge.

From The Daily Beast

"It might tickle him to go to the senate, particularly if he had a score to clean up in connection with it," remarked Ware.

From Project Gutenberg

Twas irresistible––to be accomplished with the fool of Twist Tickle and his clever punt.

From Project Gutenberg

Thereafter––a hundred paces––I caught sight of the lights of the Twist Tickle meeting-house.

From Project Gutenberg

Twas with this hungry curiosity that I demanded of the fool of Twist Tickle how he had managed so great a thing.

From Project Gutenberg

I names she from a schooner that calls at Pinch-In Tickle every spring.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• amuse
• delight
• enchant
• excite
• gratify
• pat
• please
• thrill
• titillate

More About Tickle

What is a basic definition of tickle?

Tickle means to touch sensitive body parts in order to cause laughter, to stroke lightly to cause an itching sensation, or to excite. Tickle has several other senses as a verb and a noun.

You might tickle your baby brother as part of playing to get him to laugh. Tickling involves touching sensitive body parts, such as the stomach or armpits, to cause involuntary laughter. It is usually done with the fingers, fingernails, or a feather. If someone is especially easy to make laugh by tickling, they are said to be ticklish.

• Real-life examples: Parents often tickle babies or their children to make them laugh or cheer them up. Kids might tickle each other while playing. A person should always have permission before they tickle you.
• Used in a sentence: When my daughter is sad, I can usually cheer her up by tickling her. 

Tickle can also mean to cause an itching or tingling sensation. It is also used to mean to experience an itching or tingling sensation.

• Real-life examples: An uncomfortable sweater may tickle your neck. A pleasant smell can tickle your nose. A bug bite on your leg may cause your leg tickle.
• Used in a sentence: The wind tickled the hairs on the back of my neck. 

Tickle can also be used in this sense as a noun to mean an itching or tingling sensation.

• Used in a sentence: I felt a slight tickle on my knee after going through the poison ivy bush. 

Tickle can also mean to excite or to please.

• Used in a sentence: The gorgeous dress tickled her sense of style. 

Where does tickle come from?

The first records of tickle come from the early 1300s. It comes from the Middle English verb tikelen. Any earlier origin is uncertain.

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to tickle?

• tickler (noun)
• untickled (adjective)
• tickly (adjective)

What are some synonyms for tickle?

• amuse
• delight
• itch
• excite
• please

What are some words that share a root or word element with tickle? 

• tickler
• tickly
• tickled pink
• tickle one’s fancy
• tickle the ivories

What are some words that often get used in discussing tickle?

• laughter
• touch
• sensitive
• feather
• fingers
• tingly
• itchy

How is tickle used in real life?

Tickle most often means to make someone laugh by lighting touching sensitive body parts.

I went to go tickle my daughter while she was laying down and she kicked me in the face. How’s your day going?

— Dana Scanna (@KillerPiglet1) December 14, 2019

The one thing I hate about my dogs following me around the house 24/7 is that about 30 times a day their tails tickle my leg and I jump and smack my leg thinking it’s a spider.

— Alyssa Nicklas (@Lyss_Nicklas11) December 21, 2018

How many tickles does it take to make an octopus laugh?

Ten tickles.

— Sana (@s1nab) January 25, 2021

Try using tickle!

Which of the following words would most likely be used to describe someone who is being tickled?

A. pain
B. laughter
C. sadness
D. cold