1. (

• tease ,
• teasing ,
• ribbing ,
• tantalization

) 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" ;

2. (

• teasing ,

) playful vexation; "the parody was just a form of teasing" ;

3. (

• comb-out ,
• teasing ,

) the act of removing tangles from you hair with a comb ;

1. (

• tease ,
• badger ,
• pester ,
• bug ,
• beleaguer

) annoy persistently; "The children teased the boy because of his stammer" ;

2. (

• tease ,
• razz ,
• rag ,
• cod ,
• tantalize ,
• tantalise ,
• bait ,
• taunt ,
• twit ,
• rally ,
• ride

) 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" ;

3. (

• tease ,

) 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. (

• tease ,

) tear into pieces; "tease tissue for microscopic examinations" ;

5. (

• tease ,

) raise the nap of (fabrics) ;

6. (

• tease ,
• tease_apart ,
• loosen ,

) disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" ;

7. (

• tease ,
• card

) separate the fibers of; "tease wool" ;

8. (

• tease ,

) mock or make fun of playfully; "the flirting man teased the young woman" ;

9. (

• tease ,
• fluff

) ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect ;

1. (

• mocking ,
• teasing ,
• quizzical

) playfully vexing (especially by ridicule); "his face wore a somewhat quizzical almost impertinent air"- Lawrence Durrell ;

2. (

• teasing

) arousing sexual desire without intending to satisfy it; "her lazy teasing smile" ;

3. (

• annoying ,
• bothersome ,
• galling ,
• irritating ,
• nettlesome ,
• pesky ,
• pestering ,
• pestiferous ,
• plaguy ,
• plaguey ,
• teasing ,
• vexatious ,
• vexing

) causing irritation or annoyance; "tapping an annoying rhythm on his glass with his fork"; "aircraft noise is particularly bothersome near the airport"; "found it galling to have to ask permission"; "an irritating delay"; "nettlesome paperwork"; "a pesky mosquito"; "swarms of pestering gnats"; "a plaguey newfangled safety catch"; "a teasing and persistent thought annoyed him"; "a vexatious child"; "it is vexing to have to admit you are wrong" ;