teasing

tease  (tz)

v. teased, teas·ing, teas·es

v.tr.

1. To annoy or pester; vex.

2. To make fun of; mock playfully.

3. To arouse hope, desire, or curiosity in without affording satisfaction.

4.

a. To urge persistently; coax: teasing their mother for more candy.

b. To gain by persistent coaxing: "the New York editor who could tease great books from the unpromising woolly jumble of an author's first draft" (Ian Jack).

c. To deal with or have an effect on as if by teasing.

5. To cut (tissue, for example) into pieces for examination.

6. To disentangle and dress the fibers of (wool, for example).

7. To raise the nap of (cloth) by dressing, as with a fuller's teasel.

8. To ruffle (the hair) by combing from the ends toward the scalp for an airy, full effect.

v.intr.

To annoy or make fun of someone persistently.

n.

1.

a. The act of teasing.

b. The state of being teased.

2. One that teases, as:

a. One given to playful mocking.

b. A woman who behaves like a coquette.

c. A preliminary remark or act intended to whet the curiosity.

Phrasal Verb:

tease out

To get by or as if by untangling or releasing with a pointed tool or device: "It takes a carefully trained expert to tease out the truth" (Arthur Green).

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[Middle English tesen, to comb apart, from Old English tsan.]

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teasing·ly adv.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	teasing - the act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances; "he ignored their teases"; "his ribbing was gentle but persistent" tantalization, ribbing, tease harassment, molestation - the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism
	2.	teasing - playful vexation; "the parody was just a form of teasing" frolic, gambol, romp, caper, play - gay or light-hearted recreational activity for diversion or amusement; "it was all done in play"; "their frolic in the surf threatened to become ugly"
	3.	teasing - the act of removing tangles from you hair with a comb comb-out combing, comb - the act of drawing a comb through hair; "his hair needed a comb"
Adj.	1.	teasing - playfully vexing (especially by ridicule); "his face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air"- Lawrence Durrell quizzical, mocking playful - full of fun and high spirits; "playful children just let loose from school"
	2.	teasing - arousing sexual desire without intending to satisfy it; "her lazy teasing smile" seductive - tending to entice into a desired action or state
	3.	teasing - causing irritation or annoyance; "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito"; "swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong" annoying, bothersome, galling, irritating, nettlesome, pesky, pestering, plaguy, vexatious, vexing, plaguey, pestiferous disagreeable - not to your liking; "a disagreeable situation"