tease

/tiːz/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: teases · teasing · teased

Sense 1

Meaning · English

To separate the fibres of (a fibrous material).

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

To comb (originally with teasels) so that the fibres all lie in one direction.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 3

Meaning · English

One who teases.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Sense 4

Meaning · English

A single act of teasing.

Noun

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “tease” mean?

To separate the fibres of (a fibrous material).

Is “tease” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.