tease

Meaning

Verb

1. (transitive) To separate the fibres of (a fibrous material).
2. (transitive) To comb (originally with teasels) so that the fibres all lie in one direction.
3. (transitive) To backcomb.
4. (transitive) To poke fun at, either cruelly or affectionately in a playful way.
5. (transitive) To provoke or disturb; to annoy.
6. (transitive) To manipulate or influence the behavior of, especially by repeated acts of irritation.
7. (transitive) To entice, tempt.
8. (transitive) To deliberately arouse someone sexually with no intention of satisfying that arousal.
9. (informal, transitive) To show as forthcoming, in the manner of a teaser.

Noun

1. One who teases.
2. A single act of teasing.
3. One who deliberately arouses others (usually men) sexually with no intention of satisfying that arousal.

Synonyms

annoy

mock

make fun of

taunt

vex

ridicule

banter

kid

🧒

joke

🤣

trouble

torment

irritate

provoke

pester

deride

harass

tantalize

play

bully

worry

jest

flirt

😘

molest

teaser

chaff

card

razz

tempt

disturb

trick

rag

bait

insult

rally

injure

rib

goad

bother

persecute

jolly

stir up

jeer

ribbing

ride

bug

🐛

jive

plague

poke fun at

fluff

pinch

Translations

taquiner

canzonare

necken

irritare

plagen

provoquer

embromar

🤣

punzecchiare

molestar

ärgern

provocar

reizen

hänseln

toupieren

πειράζω

Pronounced as (IPA)

/tiːz/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: tesen

Inherited from Old English: tǣsan

In summary

From Middle English tesen, from Old English tǣsan (“to tease”), from Proto-West Germanic *taisijan (“to separate, tug, shred”).