To tease is to pick on someone or to give false hope

To tease is to pick on someone or to give false hope. You can tease your little sister by saying "nanny nanny boo boo" or by holding a cookie just out of her reach.

tease

1	vn	mock or make fun of playfully
2	v	tear into pieces
3	v	disentangle and raise the fibers of

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: tease

1

vmock or make fun of playfully

“the flirting man teased the young woman”

Type of:

blackguard, guy, jest at, laugh at, make fun, poke fun,rib, ridicule, roast

subject to laughter or ridicule

vannoy persistently

“The children teased the boy because of his stammer”

Synonyms:

badger, beleaguer, bug, pester

Type of:

bedevil, crucify, dun, frustrate, rag, torment

treat cruelly

vharass with persistent criticism or carping

“The children teased the new teacher”

Synonyms:

bait, cod, rag, rally, razz, ride, tantalise, tantalize, taunt,twit

Types:

barrack, flout, gibe, jeer, scoff

laugh at with contempt and derision

banter, chaff, jolly, josh, kid

be silly or tease one another

Type of:

bemock, mock

treat with contempt

vto 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”

Type of:

control, keep in line, manipulate

control (others or oneself) or influence skillfully, usually to one's advantage

nthe act of harassing someone playfully or maliciously (especially by ridicule); provoking someone with persistent annoyances

“he ignored their teases”

Synonyms:

ribbing, tantalization, teasing

Type of:

harassment, molestation

the act of tormenting by continued persistent attacks and criticism

nsomeone given to teasing (as by mocking or stirring curiosity)

Synonyms:

annoyer, teaser, vexer

Type of:

persona non grata, unwelcome person

a person who for some reason is not wanted or welcome

na seductive woman who uses her sex appeal to exploit men

Synonyms:

coquette, flirt, minx, prickteaser, vamp, vamper

Type of:

adult female, woman

an adult female person (as opposed to a man)

2

vtear into pieces

“tease tissue for microscopic examinations”

Type of:

rip up, shred, tear up

tear into shreds

3

vdisentangle and raise the fibers of

“tease wool”

Synonyms:

loosen, tease apart

Type of:

disentangle, straighten out, unsnarl

extricate from entanglement

vseparate the fibers of

“tease wool”

Synonyms:

card

Type of:

separate

divide into components or constituents

vraise the nap of (fabrics)

Type of:

change surface

undergo or cause to undergo a change in the surface

vruffle (one's hair) by combing the ends towards the scalp, for a full effect

Synonyms:

fluff

Type of:

comb, comb out, disentangle

smoothen and neaten with or as with a comb