tantalize, harass

tantalize, harass
Tantalize means "to torment," "to tease by arousing expectations," "to disappoint repeatedly." Harass implies persecution through demands, threats, or annoyances; it also suggests disturbing and troubling with repeated attacks. A girl tantalizes a boy when she seems to be responsive but refuses to go out with him. A telephone operator is harassed by the stream of silly requests that she receives. Related words are pester, badger, hound, plague, bait, torment, disappoint, harry, vex, rack, and distress.

Dictionary of problem words and expressions. . 1975.

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  • harass — See tantalize. See tantalize, harass …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • tantalize — See tantalize, harass …   Dictionary of problem words and expressions

  • tantalize — tease, harass, harry, *worry, annoy, plague, pester Analogous words: vex, *annoy, irk, bother: torment, torture, try, *afflict: *bait, badger Antonyms: satisfy …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • tantalize — [v] provoke, tease annoy, badger, baffle, bait, bedevil, beleaguer, charm, entice, fascinate, frustrate, gnaw, harass, harry, keep hanging*, lead on, make mouth water*, pester, plague, taunt, thwart, titillate, torment, torture, worry; concepts 7 …   New thesaurus

  • harass — harry, *worry, annoy, plague, pester, tease, tantalize Analogous words: *bait, badger, hound, ride, hector, chivy, heckle: vex, irk, bother (see ANNOY) Contrasted words: *comfort, solace, console: *relieve, assuage, alleviate …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • tantalize — Synonyms and related words: affect the interest, allure, annoy, appeal, attract, badger, baffle, bait, balk, be attractive, becharm, beckon, bedevil, beleaguer, bewitch, bilk, captivate, carry away, cast down, charm, concern, cross, dash, defeat …   Moby Thesaurus

  • tease — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) v. plague, annoy, vex, harass; taunt, mock; beg; tantalize; titillate, excite. See ridicule, malevolence. II (Roget s IV) v. Syn. taunt, tantalize, harass, kid*; see bother 2 , ridicule . See Synonym… …   English dictionary for students

  • worry — vb Worry, annoy, harass, harry, plague, pester, tease, tantalize can all mean to torment so as to destroy one s peace of mind or to disturb one acutely. Worry stresses incessant attacking or goading and an intention or sometimes an effect of… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • bait — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) n. lure, temptation. v. t. decoy, lure, tempt; tease, torment, badger. See attraction, malevolence, discontent. II (Roget s IV) n. Syn. lure, inducement, bribe; see attraction 2 . v. 1. [To provide with… …   English dictionary for students

  • tantalise — verb 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: ↑tease, ↑razz, ↑rag, ↑cod, ↑ …   Useful english dictionary

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