tickle
tickle
Definition
tickle (tik′əl)
transitive verb -·led, -·ling
- to please, gratify, delight, etc.: often used in the passive voice with slang intensifiers, as tickled pink, tickled silly, or tickled to death
- to stir to amusement or laughter; amuse
- 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
- to have an itching, scratching, or tingling sensation a throat that tickles
- to cause a tickling sensation that feather tickles
- to be readily affected by excitation of the surface nerves; be ticklish
noun
- a tickling or being tickled
- a tickling sensation
tickle
Synonyms
tickle
v.
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.
Earth is here so kind, that just tickle her with a hoe and she laughs with a harvest.
Browse dictionary entries near tickle
- ticking
- tickety-boo
- ticketed
- ticket-of-leave man
- ticket
- ticker tape
- ticker
- ticked
- tick trefoil
- tick-tack-toe
- tickler
- tickler coil
- tickling
- ticklish
- tickseed
- ticktack
- ticktock
- ticky tacky
- Ticonderoga
- tidal
