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   Tease

   /tēz/

   

   verb

   • 1. make fun of or attempt to provoke (a person or animal) in a playful way: "she was just teasing"
   • ▪ tempt (someone) sexually with no intention of satisfying the desire aroused: "she had thrown herself at him and teased him"
   • 2. gently pull or comb (tangled wool, hair, etc.) into separate strands: "she was teasing out the curls into her usual hairstyle"
   • ▪ comb (hair) in the reverse direction of its natural growth in order to make it appear fuller: North American "her hair is teased into spikes"
   • ▪ comb (the surface of woven cloth) to raise a nap. archaic

   Word Origin Old Englishtǣsan (in tease (sense 2 of the verb)), of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch teezen and German dialect zeisen, also to teasel. Sense 1 is a development of the earlier and more serious ‘irritate by annoying actions’ (early 17th century), a figurative use of the word's original sense.

   Scrabble Points: 5

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