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   tease

   /tiːz/

   verb

   • 1. make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way: "I used to tease her about being so house-proud"
   • ▪ tempt (someone) sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused: "she had thrown herself at him and teased him"
   • 2. gently pull or comb (tangled wool, hair, etc.) into separate strands: "she was teasing out the curls into her usual hairstyle"
   • ▪ backcomb (hair) in order to make it appear fuller: North American "her hair is teased into spikes"
   • ▪ comb (the surface of woven cloth) to raise a nap. archaic

   noun

   • 1. a person who makes fun of someone playfully or unkindly: informal "some think of him as a tease who likes to keep others guessing"
   • ▪ a person who tempts someone sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused: "she was a tease—she would lead a man on, then turn cold"
   • 2. an act of teasing someone: "she couldn't resist a gentle tease"

   Word Origin Old Englishtǣsan (in tease (sense 2 of the verb)), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch teezen and German dialect zeisen, also to teasel. Sense 1 is a development of the earlier and more serious ‘irritate by annoying actions’ (early 17th century), a figurative use of the word's original sense.

   Scrabble Points: 5

   • T

     1

   • E

     1

   • A

     1

   • S

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   • E

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