tease

Plural: teases

Noun

• someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity)
• a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
• the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances
  • "he ignored their teases"
• One who teases.
• A single act of teasing.
• One who deliberately arouses others (usually men) sexually with no intention of satisfying that arousal.

Verb

Verb Forms: teased, teasing, teases

• To make fun of or provoke playfully.
• annoy persistently
  • "The children teased the boy because of his stammer"
• harass with persistent criticism or carping
  • "The children teased the new teacher"
• to arouse hope, desire, or curiosity without satisfying them
  • "The advertisement is intended to tease the customers"
• tear into pieces
  • "tease tissue for microscopic examinations"
• raise the nap of (fabrics)
• disentangle and raise the fibers of
  • "tease wool"
• separate the fibers of
  • "tease wool"
• mock or make fun of playfully
  • "the flirting man teased the young woman"
• ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect
• To separate the fibres of (a fibrous material).
• To comb (originally with teasels) so that the fibres all lie in one direction.
• To backcomb.
• To poke fun at, either cruelly or affectionately in a playful way.
• To provoke or disturb; to annoy.
• To manipulate or influence the behavior of, especially by repeated acts of irritation.
• To entice, tempt.
• To deliberately arouse someone sexually with no intention of satisfying that arousal.
• To show as forthcoming, in the manner of a teaser.

Examples

• He liked to TEASE his opponent by making small, strategic plays that hinted at larger words.

Synonyms

annoyer, badger, bait, beleaguer, bug, card, cod, coquette, flirt, fluff, loosen, minx, pester, prickteaser, rag, rally, razz, ribbing, ride, tantalise, tantalization, tantalize, taunt, tease apart, teaser, teasing, twit, vamp, vamper, vexer, cock tease, cocktease, cockteaser

Anagrams of tease