tease
    n 1: someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring
         curiosity) [syn: tease, teaser, annoyer, vexer]
    2: a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men
       [syn: coquette, flirt, vamp, vamper, minx, tease,
       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: tease, teasing, ribbing,
       tantalization]
    v 1: annoy persistently; "The children teased the boy because of
         his stammer" [syn: tease, badger, pester, bug,
         beleaguer]
    2: harass with persistent criticism or carping; "The children
       teased the new teacher"; "Don't ride me so hard over my
       failure"; "His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a
       jacket and tie" [syn: tease, 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, tease apart, loosen]
    7: separate the fibers of; "tease wool" [syn: tease, card]
    8: mock or make fun of playfully; "the flirting man teased the
       young woman"
    9: ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp,
       for a full effect [syn: tease, fluff]

Tease \Tease\ (t[=e]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Teased (t[=e]zd);
   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.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. To stratch, as cloth, for the purpose of raising a nap;
      teasel.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. (Anat.) To tear or separate into minute shreds, as with
      needles or similar instruments.
      [1913 Webster]

   4. To vex with importunity or impertinence; to harass, annoy,
      disturb, or irritate by petty requests, or by jests and
      raillery; to plague. --Cowper.
      [1913 Webster]

            He . . . suffered them to tease him into acts
            directly opposed to his strongest inclinations.
                                                  --Macaulay.
      [1913 Webster]

   Syn: To vex; harass: annoy; disturb; irritate; plague;
        torment; mortify; tantalize; chagrin.

   Usage: Tease, Vex. To tease is literally to pull or
          scratch, and implies a prolonged annoyance in respect
          to little things, which is often more irritating, and
          harder to bear, than severe pain. Vex meant originally
          to seize and bear away hither and thither, and hence,
          to disturb; as, to vex the ocean with storms. This
          sense of the term now rarely occurs; but vex is still
          a stronger word than tease, denoting the disturbance
          or anger created by minor provocations, losses,
          disappointments, etc. We are teased by the buzzing of
          a fly in our eyes; we are vexed by the carelessness or
          stupidity of our servants.
          [1913 Webster]

                Not by the force of carnal reason,
                But indefatigable teasing.        --Hudibras.
          [1913 Webster]

                In disappointments, where the affections have
                been strongly placed, and the expectations
                sanguine, particularly where the agency of
                others is concerned, sorrow may degenerate into
                vexation and chagrin.             --Cogan.
          [1913 Webster]

   Tease tenon (Joinery), a long tenon at the top of a post to
      receive two beams crossing each other one above the other.
      [1913 Webster]

Tease \Tease\, n.
   One who teases or plagues. [Colloq.]
   [1913 Webster]