teaseverb [ I or T ]
uk/tiːz/us/tiːz/tease verb [ I or T ] (MAKE FUN OF)
B2 to laugh at someone or say unkind things about them, either because you are joking or because you want to upset that person:
I used to hate being teased about my red hair when I was at school.
I was just teasing, I didn't mean to upset you.
More examples
- Don't tease him about his weight - it's cruel.
- He said he was going to leave us there, but I think he was only teasing.
- They teased him mercilessly about his accent.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Teasing
- joke
- josh
- kid
- leg
- only joking! idiom
- pull sb's leg idiom
- rag
- raillery
- rib
- ribbing
- spoof
- standing joke
- wind 1
- wind sb up
tease verb [ I or T ] (HAIR)
US UK backcomb to hold your hair away from your head and brush it towards your head with a comb, in order to make it look thicker
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Hairstyles
- barnet
- blowout
- bob
- bobbed
- bun
- bunch
- coiffed
- comb-over
- cornrow
- fauxhawk
- flattop
- fringe
- loose
- pageboy
- parting
- permanent wave
- pigtail
- ponytail
- quiff
- shake
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Phrasal verb(s)
tease sth out
teasenoun [ C ]
uk/tiːz/us/tiːz/someone who is always teasing people:
Johnny, don't be such a tease - leave your sister alone!
slang disapproving someone who enjoys causing sexual excitement and interest in people she or he does not intend to have sex with
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Teasing
- joke
- josh
- kid
- leg
- only joking! idiom
- pull sb's leg idiom
- rag
- raillery
- rib
- ribbing
- spoof
- standing joke
- wind 1
- wind sb up