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tickle Definition

tickle (tik′əl)

transitive verb -·led, -·ling

  1. to please, gratify, delight, etc.: often used in the passive voice with slang intensifiers, as tickled pink, tickled silly, or tickled to death
  2. to stir to amusement or laughter; amuse
  3. to excite the surface nerves of, as by touching or stroking lightly with the finger, a feather, etc., in a way that causes involuntary twitching, a pleasant tingling, laughter, etc.

Etymology: ME tikelen, akin to Ger dial. zickeln, OE tinclian, to tickle: for IE base see tick

intransitive verb

  1. to have an itching, scratching, or tingling sensation a throat that tickles
  2. to cause a tickling sensation that feather tickles
  3. to be readily affected by excitation of the surface nerves; be ticklish

noun

  1. a tickling or being tickled
  2. a tickling sensation

tickle Synonyms

tickle

v.

  1. To stimulate by a light touch

    rub, caress, stroke, vellicate, titillate; see also touch 1.

  2. To excite mentally

    amuse, delight, stimulate; see excite 1.

tickle Usage Examples

Object

  • ivories: In fact, our cat tickles the ivories more than I do.
  • tastebud: Take a look at our Menu where we are sure you will find something to tickle those tastebuds.
  • palate: Then suddenly you smile as a wine tickles the palate with its joyous sensations.
  • bud: Of course there could be books, plays and poems, but music is also able to tickle the laughter buds.
  • fancy: One can't browse the hills by height, name or whatever tickles the fancy.
  • sensation: In a few cases your heightened metabolic rate may cause a slight tickling sensation in the stomach.

Converse of object

  • have: Of course I don't, I'm sure he knows I'd rather have a tickle on my toes.
  • feel: I could still feel the slight tickle of where he had poked me in my side.
  • get: You'll get a tickle, a twinge, an urgent call.

Adjective modifier

  • little: He picks up three off Warne's over with a little tickle down to fine leg.
  • good: I'd go up to him and give him a good tummy tickle or just say his name in an excited way.

Adjective complement

  • pink: Dame Edna said: " I'm tickled pink.

Modifying Another Word

  • gently: Click for Mini Plasma Ball larger image You can actually " feel " the energy as the light gently tickles your fingertips.
  • really: So I was really tickled to put out a book of poetry.
  • just: Learn how to attack asthma, help a headache or just tickle your tonsils.
  • so: She would be so tickled if you would write.
  • n't: Well, to be quite honest, they don't make good headlines, they do n't tickle people's fancy.
  • not: The truth of God does not tickle our ears, it boxes them.

Followed by a transitive particle

  • up: Phil did it using the Multiface One, tickling up the resultant screen using Artist II.

Preposition: under

  • chin: My favorite pastimes are having a tickle under the chin and eating ' Iams ' .
tickle Quotes

No man can tickle himself.

—Bacon, Francis,Viscount St Albans

Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest.

—Jerrold, Douglas William