tease (n.)

  1. someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity)

    [ Syn: teaser , annoyer , vexer ]

  2. a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men

    [ Syn: coquette , flirt , vamp , vamper , minx , prickteaser ]

  3. 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

    [ Syn: teasing , ribbing , tantalization ]

    tease (v.)

  1. annoy persistently; The children teased the boy because of his stammer

    [ Syn: badger , pester , bug , beleaguer ]

  2. harass with persistent criticism or carping; The children teased the new teacher; Dont ride me so hard over my failure; His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie

    [ Syn: razz , rag , cod , tantalize , tantalise , bait , taunt , twit , rally , ride ]

  3. to arouse hope, desire, or curiosity without satisfying them; The advertisement is intended to tease the customers; She has a way of teasing men with her flirtatious behavior'

  4. tear into pieces; tease tissue for microscopic examinations'

  5. raise the nap of (fabrics)

  6. disentangle and raise the fibers of; tease wool

    [ Syn: tease apart , loosen ]

  7. separate the fibers of; tease wool

    [ Syn: card ]

  8. mock or make fun of playfully; the flirting man teased the young woman'

  9. ruffle (ones hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect

    [ Syn: fluff ]

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.