verb / noun
tease
To arouse interest or desire while delaying or withholding satisfaction.
He teases his friend by holding the last cookie just out of reach.
Etymology
The older verb concerns pulling or working material apart. Repeated provoking developed into arousing desire while withholding its satisfaction.
In context
When you tease people with serious anger, it does not tell them that you're kidding. When you yell at somebody, that tells them they're mad.
More examples
- The bakery window teased us with fresh pastries.
- She teased a major announcement without revealing the details.
- The brief preview was a deliberate tease.
Forms
tease · teases · teased · teasing