tease

B2 · Upper Intermediate Informal

v. to show a small part of a new product or story to make people want to see more.

v. to entice or tempt by offering a glimpse of something while withholding the full details. Often used in marketing and media contexts.

“The movie studio started to tease the new sequel with a ten-second video clip.”

“The tech company began to tease their upcoming smartphone release on social media, posting cryptic silhouettes of the device's new camera array.”

C1 · Advanced Technical

v. to pull something apart gently, like tangled hair or wool fibres.

v. to separate the fibres of a material or to disentangle something with a fine, repetitive motion.

Español:peinar

“You need to tease the wool apart before you can start spinning it.”

“The archaeologist spent hours using a fine brush to tease the delicate silk fragments away from the compacted earth.”

C1 · Advanced American English

v. to comb your hair toward your head to make it look thicker.

v. to backcomb hair toward the scalp to create volume or a specific texture.

“She used a lot of hairspray after she teased her hair for the party.”

“The stylist decided to tease the model's hair at the crown to achieve the dramatic height required for the retro-themed photoshoot.”

B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun Informal

n. a person who enjoys playing jokes on others or making fun of them.

n. an individual who habitually mocks or provokes others, often in a playful or flirtatious manner.

“Don't take him too seriously; he's just a bit of a tease.”

“Known as the office tease, he was always hiding his colleagues' staplers or making lighthearted jokes during the morning briefings.”