tease

[ teez ]
/ tiz /

verb (used with object), teased, teas·ing.

verb (used without object), teased, teas·ing.

to provoke or disturb a person or animal by importunity or persistent petty annoyances.

noun

a person who teases or annoys.
the act of teasing or the state of being teased.

Origin of tease

before 1000; Middle English tesen (v.), Old English tǣsan to pull, tear, comb; cognate with Middle Low German tesen, Old High German zeisan to pluck

synonym study for tease

1. See bother.

OTHER WORDS FROM tease

Example sentences from the Web for tease

British Dictionary definitions for tease

tease
/ (tiːz) /

verb

noun

a person or thing that teases
the act of teasing
See also tease out

Derived forms of tease

teasing, adjective teasingly, adverb

Word Origin for tease

Old English tǣsan; related to Old High German zeisan to pick

Medical definitions for tease

tease
[ tēz ]

v.

To separate the structural parts of a tissue, as with a needle, in order to prepare it for microscopic examination.