tease

Universal Words verb, noun verb 1 to laugh at sb and make jokes about them either in a friendly way or in order to annoy or embarrass them: [V] Don't get upset-I was only teasing. * [VN] I used to get teased about my name. [also Vspeech, VNspeech] 2 [VN] to annoy an animal, especially by touching it, pulling its tail, etc. 3 [V, VN] (disapproving) to make sb sexually excited, especially when you do not intend to have sex with them 4 [VN] to pull sth gently apart into separate pieces: to tease wool into strands 5 [VN] (AmE) = BACKCOMB PHRASALVERBS tease sth<->out 1 to remove knots from hair, wool, etc. by gently pulling or brushing it 2 to spend time trying to find out information or the meaning of sth, especially when this is complicated or difficult: The teacher helped them tease out the meaning of the poem. noun [usuallysing.] 1 a person who likes to play tricks and jokes on other people, especially by telling them sth that is not true or by not telling them sth that they want to know 2 an act that is intended as a trick or joke: Ignore everything he said-it was all just a tease. 3 (disapproving) a person who pretends to be attracted to sb, makes them sexually excited and then refuses to have sex with them