tickle

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: tick=le

CIDE DICTIONARY

tickle, v. t. [Perhaps freq. of tick to beat; pat; but cf. also AS. citelian to tickle, D. kittelen, G. kitzlen, OHG. chizzilōn, chuzzilōn, Icel. kitla. Cf. Kittle, v. t.].

•  To touch lightly, so as to produce a peculiar thrilling sensation, which commonly causes laughter, and a kind of spasm which become dengerous if too long protracted.  [1913 Webster]

  "If you tickle us, do we not laugh?"  [1913 Webster]
•  To please; to gratify; to make joyous.  [1913 Webster]

  "Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw."  [1913 Webster]

  "Such a nature
  Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow
  Which he treads on at noon."  [1913 Webster]

tickle, v. i. 

•  To feel titillation.  [1913 Webster]

  "He with secret joy therefore
  Did tickle inwardly in every vein."  [1913 Webster]
•  To excite the sensation of titillation.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]

tickle, a. 

•  Ticklish; easily tickled.  [1913 Webster]
•  Liable to change; uncertain; inconstant.  [1913 Webster]

  "The world is now full tickle, sikerly."  [1913 Webster]

  "So tickle is the state of earthy things."  [1913 Webster]
•  Wavering, or liable to waver and fall at the slightest touch; unstable; easily overthrown.  [1913 Webster]

  "Thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

tickle, v. & n.
--v.
1 a tr. apply light touches or strokes to (a person or part of a person's body) so as to excite the nerves and usu. produce laughter and spasmodic movement. b intr. feel this sensation (my foot tickles).
2 tr. excite agreeably; amuse or divert (a person, a sense of humour, vanity, etc.) (was highly tickled at the idea; this will tickle your fancy).
3 tr. catch (a trout etc.) by rubbing it so that it moves backwards into the hand.
--n.
1 an act of tickling.
2 a tickling sensation.

Idiom

tickled pink (or to death) colloq. extremely amused or pleased.

Derivative

tickler n. tickly adj.

Etymology

ME, prob. frequent. of TICK(1)

THESAURUS

tickle

affect the interest, agitate, amuse, appeal, arouse, attract, be attractive, beak, becharm, beckon, beguile, bewitch, blow the coals, brush, bunt, captivate, carry away, charm, chuck, concern, convulse, dab, delectate, delight, divert, enchant, engage, enliven, enrapture, enravish, entertain, enthrall, entrance, excite, excite interest, exhilarate, fan, fan the flame, fascinate, feed the fire, ferment, fetch, fillip, fire, flick, flip, flirt, flush, foment, fracture one, freak out, give a thrill, gratify, graze, heat, heat up, imparadise, impassion, incense, incite, inflame, instigate, interest, intoxicate, invite, involve in, kill, knock dead, knock out, loosen up, nettle, pat, peck, pick, pique, pleasant stimulation, please, provoke, put up to, raise a laugh, raise a smile, rally, rap, ravish, recreate, refresh, regale, relax, send, set on, sic on, slay, snap, solace, stimulate, stir the embers, stir up, summon, tantalize, tap, tease, tempt, thrill, tickle pink, tickliness, tickling, ticklishness, tip, titillate, titillation, touch, transport, whet, whet the appetite, whip up, whisk, work up, wow

ROGET THESAURUS

tickle

Pleasurableness

VB cause pleasure, produce pleasure, create pleasure, give pleasure, afford pleasure, procure pleasure, offer pleasure, present pleasure, yield pleasure, please, charm, delight, becharm, imparadise, gladden, take, captivate, fascinate, enchant, entrance, enrapture, transport, bewitch, enravish, bless, beatify, satisfy, gratify, desire, slake, satiate, quench, indulge, humor, flatter, tickle, tickle the palate, regale, refresh, enliven, treat, amuse, take one's fancy, tickle one's fancy, hit one's fancy, meet one's wishes, win the heart, gladden the heart, rejoice the heart, warm the cockles of the heart, do one's heart good, attract, allure, stimulate, interest, make things pleasant, popularize, gild the pill, sugar-coat the pill, sweeten.

Sensations of Touch

VB itch, tingle, creep, thrill, sting, prick, prickle, tickle, titillate.