tease

tease
{{11}}tease (n.) "one who teases," 1852, from TEASE (Cf. tease) (v.). Specifically as short for cock-teaser, it was in use by 1976.
{{12}}tease (v.) O.E. tæsan "pluck, pull apart" (fibers of wool, flax, etc.), from W.Gmc. *taisijanan (Cf. Dan. tæse, M.Du. tesen, Du. tezen "to draw, pull, scratch," O.H.G. zeisan "to tease, pick wool").
The original sense is of running thorns through wool or flax to separate, shred, or card the fibers. The figurative sense of "vex, worry, annoy" emerged 1610s. For similar sense development, see HECKLE (Cf. heckle). Hairdressing sense is recorded from 1957.

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • Tease — (t[=e]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Teased}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Teasing}.] [AS. t?san to pluck, tease; akin to OD. teesen, MHG. zeisen, Dan. t[ae]se, t[ae]sse. [root]58. Cf. {Touse}.] 1. To comb or card, as wool or flax. Teasing matted wool. Wordsworth …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • tease — tease·ment; tease; strip·tease; …   English syllables

  • tease — [tēz] vt. teased, teasing [ME tesen < OE tæsan, to pull about, pluck, tease, akin to Du teezen < IE * di s < base * dā(i) , to cut apart, divide > TIDE1] 1. a) to separate the fibers of; card or comb (flax, wool, etc.) b) to fluff… …   English World dictionary

  • Tease — Tease, n. One who teases or plagues. [Colloq.] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tease — may refer to:* TEASE, an Annual Canadian Educational Alternative Lifestyle Camping Convention * Teasing * Teaser, a gambling term …   Wikipedia

  • tease — ► VERB 1) playfully make fun of or attempt to provoke. 2) tempt sexually. 3) (tease out) find out by searching through a mass of information. 4) gently pull or comb (tangled wool, hair, etc.) into separate strands. 5) archaic comb (the surface of …   English terms dictionary

  • tease — index badger, bait (harass), bait (lure), cajole, discompose, harrow, harry ( …   Law dictionary

  • tease — *tantalize, pester, plague, harass, harry, *worry, annoy Analogous words: *bait, badger, hector, chivy: importune, adjure, *beg: fret, chafe, gall (see ABRADE) …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • tease — [v] aggravate, provoke annoy, badger, bait, banter, be at, bedevil, beleaguer, bother, chaff, devil, disturb, dog*, gibe, give a hard time*, gnaw, goad, harass, harry, hector, importune, jive*, josh, lead on*, mock, needle*, nudge, pester, pick… …   New thesaurus

  • tease — tease1 [ti:z] v ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(laugh)¦ 2¦(annoy an animal)¦ 3¦(sex)¦ 4¦(hair)¦ Phrasal verbs  tease something<=>out ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ [: Old English; Origin: tAsan] 1.) ¦(LAUGH)¦ [I and T] to laugh at someone and make jokes in order to ha …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • tease — [[t]ti͟ːz[/t]] teases, teasing, teased 1) VERB To tease someone means to laugh at them or make jokes about them in order to embarrass, annoy, or upset them. [V n] He told her how the boys in East Poldown had set on him, teasing him... [V n about… …   English dictionary

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