Tease (Verb)
Meaning 1
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".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The kids at school constantly tease her because of her accent.
- The boys in her class tease her mercilessly about her glasses.
- Stop teasing me about my old video games collection.
- He was teased relentlessly for his new haircut.
- The employees teased their coworker about his bright pink shirt.
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Meaning 2
Separate the fibers of; "tease wool".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She carefully began to tease the tangled yarn to separate the individual strands for re-knitting.
- The conservator had the delicate task of teasing out the old wool fibers from the antique tapestry.
- To make the old sweater suitable for recycling, the crafty artist would have to tease the wool apart, thread by thread.
- The fine soft fibers of the feather boa could be reused after teasing them loose from the satin fabric.
- A skilled textile restorer knew exactly how to tease the centuries-old wool fibers from the fragile fabric without breaking them.
Synonyms
Meaning 3
Tear into pieces; "tease tissue for microscopic examinations".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The histologist will tease apart the delicate fibers of the tissue sample for further analysis.
- A laboratory technician had to tease the fabric to observe the weave pattern under a microscope.
- The scientist spent hours teasing out individual cells for study.
- The pathologist began to tease apart the tissue to inspect each component.
- To prepare the sample for examination, the technician started to tease the strands into separate fibers.
Hypernyms
Meaning 4
Ruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect.
Classification
Verbs of grooming, dressing and bodily care.
Examples
- To add volume to my flat hair, I need to tease it with a fine-tooth comb.
- Her hair stylist knew exactly how to tease her hair at the roots for a stunning effect.
- The model's hair looked fabulous once the stylist had teased it into a glamorous hairstyle.
- The celebrity hairstylist advised her client to tease her thinning hair for a more voluminous appearance.
- After teasing the back section of her hair, she was satisfied with the volume it had added to her overall look.
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Meaning 5
Mock or make fun of playfully; "the flirting man teased the young woman".
Classification
Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.
Examples
- The children teased their sibling about their haircut, calling it a ridiculous style and bursting into laughter.
- Her friends teased her mercilessly about her new boyfriend's bright pink shirt.
- The class clown teased the teacher about wearing a funny tie to school.
- He teased the waitress about the funny mustache he claimed she was trying to grow.
- The siblings teased each other about eating too much candy and getting a stomachache.
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Meaning 6
Annoy persistently; "The children teased the boy because of his stammer".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- Her little brother constantly teased her about wearing glasses when they were young.
- The class bully loved to tease his classmates during recess.
- He made fun of her hair, not realizing that his teasing would upset her so much.
- She repeatedly teased her best friend about her fear of public speaking.
- Her older siblings would often tease her about being the baby of the family.
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Meaning 7
Disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool".
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- She carefully began to tease the wool in order to prepare it for spinning.
- The task required patience as the person had to tease the wool into individual fibers.
- Learn to tease wool from an experienced artisan who has mastered the craft.
- Tease the wool gently in the opposite direction of the original thread.
- To create the fluffy texture, you will need to tease the wool apart very carefully.
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Meaning 8
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".
Classification
Verbs of feeling.
Examples
- Her smile seemed to tease him with promise of a secret she wasn't willing to share.
- The author wrote the ending to tease the readers into waiting for the next book in the series.
- The new video trailer teases the release of the movie, but the premiere is still two months away.
- His words teased a solution to the problem but left listeners looking for more specifics.
- The singer's rendition of the familiar hit teases the audience with the delayed arrival of the famous chorus.
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Meaning 9
Raise the nap of (fabrics).
Classification
Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.
Examples
- The brushing action of a teasel can tease the wool fibers, aligning them in the same direction for a smooth finish.
- Tease the fibers of the velvet gently with a soft brush to restore its plush pile.
- A teasel is used to tease the nap of the fabric, giving it a soft and even texture.
- Before dyeing the carpet, the millworker will tease the wool fibers to create an even surface.
- Tease the fibers of the upholstery fabric with a velvet brush to maintain its luxurious texture.