verb
tease
teez
verb
1
To poke fun at someone playfully or, sometimes, unkindly.
"His friends teased him good-naturedly about his new haircut."
2
To provoke, annoy, or deliberately wind someone up.
"Stop teasing the dog — it's starting to growl."
3
To reveal a small hint of something exciting that's coming.
"The studio teased the film's ending with a single cryptic image."
noun
1
A person who enjoys teasing others.
"Her older brother was always a bit of a tease."
How to Use Tease
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo playfully (or annoyingly) provoke someone, or to give a small preview of something.
Common mistake
Teasing can be affectionate or hurtful depending on tone and relationship — worth being clear which you mean.
Common pairings
tease someone about
just teasing
tease out
Word Forms
teased past tense, teases plural, teases singular
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His friends _____ him good-naturedly about his new haircut.
Etymology
From Old English tæsan, originally meaning to pull apart or comb out fibres (like wool) — the modern sense of playful provocation developed centuries later, by extension from "picking at" someone.