TICKLE


Meaning of TICKLE in English

I. tick ‧ le 1 /ˈtɪk ə l/ BrE AmE verb

[ Date: 1300-1400 ; Origin: Perhaps from tick 'to touch lightly' (16-19 centuries) ]

1 . [transitive] to move your fingers gently over someone’s body in order to make them laugh:

Stop tickling me!

2 . [intransitive and transitive] if something touching your body tickles you, it makes you want to rub your body because it is slightly uncomfortable:

Mommy, this blanket tickles.

Mazie’s fur collar was tickling her neck.

3 . [transitive] if a situation, remark etc tickles you, it amuses or pleases you

be tickled pink (=be very pleased or amused)

The kids were tickled pink to see you on TV!

4 . tickle sb’s fancy informal if something tickles your fancy, you want to have it or to try doing it:

If I see something that tickles my fancy, I’m going to buy it.

• • •

THESAURUS

▪ touch to put your fingers or hand onto someone or something for a very short time:

Don’t touch the iron – it’s hot!

▪ feel to touch something with your fingers in order to find out about it:

Feel how soft this material is.

|

I felt his forehead. It was cold.

▪ handle to touch something and pick it up and hold it in your hands:

Children should always wash their hands before handling food.

|

The glass was very fragile, and she handled it with great care.

|

Please do not handle the merchandise.

▪ finger to touch or handle something with your fingers, especially while you are thinking of other things:

She fingered the heavy necklace around her neck.

▪ rub to move your hand over a surface while pressing it:

Bob rubbed his eyes and yawned.

▪ scratch to rub part of your body with your nails, often because it ITCHES :

The dog kept scratching its ear.

|

Bob scratched his head thoughtfully.

▪ tickle to move your fingers lightly over someone’s body in order to make them laugh:

The baby giggled as I tickled him.

▪ grope to touch someone’s body in a sexual way when they do not want to be touched:

The officer was accused of groping several women in his platoon.

II. tickle 2 BrE AmE noun [singular]

1 . a feeling in your throat that makes you want to cough:

I’ve got a tickle in my throat.

2 . give somebody a tickle to move your fingers gently over someone’s body in order to make them laugh

Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English.      Longman - Словарь современного английского языка.