TICKLE


Meaning of TICKLE in English

/ ˈtɪkl; NAmE / verb , noun

■ verb

1.

to move your fingers on a sensitive part of sb's body in a way that makes them laugh :

[ vn ]

The bigger girls used to chase me and tickle me.

[ v ]

Stop tickling!

2.

to produce a slightly uncomfortable feeling in a sensitive part of the body; to have a feeling like this :

[ vn ]

His beard was tickling her cheek.

[ v ]

My throat tickles.

a tickling cough

3.

to amuse and interest sb :

[ vn ]

to tickle sb's imagination

[ vn to inf ]

I was tickled to discover that we'd both done the same thing.

IDIOMS

- be tickled pink

- tickle sb's fancy

■ noun [ usually sing. ]

1.

an act of tickling sb :

She gave the child a little tickle.

2.

a slightly uncomfortable feeling in a part of your body :

to have a tickle in your throat (= that makes you want to cough)

IDIOMS

see slap noun

••

WORD ORIGIN

Middle English (in the sense be delighted or thrilled ): perhaps a frequentative of the verb tick , or an alteration of Scots and dialect kittle to tickle .

Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary.      Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне.