What is "tease"

Tease \Tease\, n. One who teases or plagues. [Colloq.]

Tease \Tease\ (t[=e]z), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Teased; p. pr. & vb. n. Teasing.] [AS. t?san to pluck, tease; akin to OD. teesen, MHG. zeisen, Dan. t[ae]se, t[ae]sse. [root]58. Cf. Touse.]

1. To comb or card, as wool or flax. ``Teasing matted wool.''
   --Wordsworth.

2. To stratch, as cloth, for the purpose of raising a nap; teasel.

3. (Anat.) To tear or separate into minute shreds, as with needles or similar instruments.

4. To vex with importunity or impertinence; to harass, annoy, disturb, or irritate by petty requests, or by jests and raillery; to plague.
   --Cowper.

   He . . . suffered them to tease him into acts directly opposed to his strongest inclinations.
   --Macaulay.

   Syn: To vex; harass: annoy; disturb; irritate; plague; torment; mortify; tantalize; chagrin.

   Usage: Tease, Vex. To tease is literally to pull or scratch, and implies a prolonged annoyance in respect to little things, which is often more irritating, and harder to bear, than severe pain. Vex meant originally to seize and bear away hither and thither, and hence, to disturb; as, to vex the ocean with storms. This sense of the term now rarely occurs; but vex is still a stronger word than tease, denoting the disturbance or anger created by minor provocations, losses, disappointments, etc. We are teased by the buzzing of a fly in our eyes; we are vexed by the carelessness or stupidity of our servants.

   Not by the force of carnal reason, But indefatigable teasing.
   --Hudibras.

   In disappointments, where the affections have been strongly placed, and the expectations sanguine, particularly where the agency of others is concerned, sorrow may degenerate into vexation and chagrin.
   --Cogan.

   Tease tenon (Joinery), a long tenon at the top of a post to receive two beams crossing each other one above the other.

formerly also teaze, Old English tæsan "pluck, pull, tear; pull apart, comb" (fibers of wool, flax, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *taisijan (cognates: Danish tæse, Middle Dutch tesen, Dutch tezen "to draw, pull, scratch," Old High German zeisan "to tease, pick wool").\n

\nThe original sense is of running thorns through wool or flax to separate, shred, or card the fibers. The figurative sense of "vex, worry, annoy" (sometimes done in good humor) emerged 1610s. For similar sense development, compare heckle. Hairdressing sense is recorded from 1957. Related: Teased; teasing; teasingly.

1690s, "act of teasing," from tease (v.). Meaning "one who teases" is from 1852. Specifically as short for cock-teaser, it was in use by 1976.

n. 1 One who teases. 2 A single act of teasing. 3 A cock tease; an exotic dancer; a stripper. vb. 1 To separate the fibres of a fibrous material. 2 To comb (originally with teasels) so that the fibres all lie in one direction. 3 To back-comb. 4 To poke fun at. 5 To provoke or disturb; to annoy. 6 To entice, to tempt.

1. v. annoy persistently; "The children teased the boy because of his stammer" [syn: badger, pester, bug, beleaguer]

2. 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" [syn: razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride]

3. 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. tear into pieces; "tease tissue for microscopic examinations"

5. raise the nap of (fabrics)

6. disentangle and raise the fibers of; "tease wool" [syn: tease apart, loosen]

7. separate the fibers of; "tease wool" [syn: card]

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

9. ruffle (one's hair) by combing towards the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect [syn: fluff]

1. n. someone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity) [syn: teaser, annoyer, vexer]

2. a seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men [syn: coquette, flirt, vamp, vamper, minx, prickteaser]

3. 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" [syn: teasing, ribbing]

Tease may refer to:

• Teasing
• Tease (EP) by Piano Overlord
• Tease (TV series), a U.S. TV series presented by Lisa Rinna

Tease was a limited edition EP by Piano Overlord.

Actress Lisa Rinna is the host of Oxygen Network's Tease, airing since 2007. Known to television audiences from her starring roles on Dancing with the Stars, Soap Talk, Melrose Place and Days of Our Lives, Emmy-nominated Rinna is also recognizable for her signature layered hairstyle. Each Tease episode features two up-and-coming hair stylists as they face-off in an exciting Olympics-style tournament.

The aspiring stylists put their skills to the tress test in front of a panel of expert judges: hairstylist Peter Ishkhans, model Roshumba Williams and agent Frank Moore. The aspiring stylists compete for a chance at the supreme challenge – a one-on-one battle with one of three high-profile master stylists, Clyde Haygood, Stephanie Hobgood and Kim Vo. Should the aspiring stylist surpass the expertise of a hair pro, his or her photo is hung on the Tease hair wall of fame and he or she receives the “silver scissors”, the crowning symbol of a styling victory.

Each episode includes a themed timed challenge designed to push the stylists’ skills to the limit. The challenges in the 2007 season include:

Ep#1 Celeb Look-alike
Ep#2 Long to Short
Ep#3 Blondes Have More Fun
Ep#4 Identical Twins
Ep#5 Rock n' Roll Hair
Ep#6 Avant Garde

Tease is executive produced by Michael Yudin for MY Entertainment ( King of Vegas, and Pros vs. Joes) and Brian Gadinsky for G Group (American Idol Season One, American Gladiators, and America’s Most Wanted).