Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Tease \Tease\, 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.

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

Source : WordNet®

tease
     v 1: 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}]

tease
     n 1: 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}]