tickle
nounverbadjectiveadverbcommon in dialogue
- //ˈtɪkl̩//
The act of tickling.
noun
- 1
The act of tickling.
- 2
An itchy feeling resembling the result of tickling.
I have a persistent tickle in my throat.
- 3
informalA light tap of the ball.
There's a very fine line between a tickle and an edge!
- 4
A narrow strait, such as between an island and the shore.
Charts and Plans. [...] No. New Charts. 2253 England, and south coast—Dartmouth harbour. [...] 3320 Newfoundland, Thimble tickles and Glover harbour—Head of Seal bay.
Cow Head itself is a prominent headland connected to the settlement by a natural causeway, or ‘tickle’ as the Newfoundlanders prefer it.
Etymology
From Middle English tiklen, tikelen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a frequentative form of Middle English tikken (“to touch lightly”), thus equivalent to tick + -le; or perhaps related to Old English tinclian (“to tickle”). Compare North Frisian tigele (“to tickle”) (Hallig dialect), and tiikle (“to tickle”) (Amrum dialect), German dialectal zicklen (“to excite; stir up”). Alternatively, from a metathetic alteration of Middle English kitelen ("to tickle"; see kittle). Both are ultimately sound-symbolic.
verb
- 1
To touch repeatedly or stroke delicately in a manner which typically causes laughter, pleasure and twitching.
He tickled Nancy's tummy, and she started to giggle.
If you tickle us, do we not laugh?
- 2
To feel as if the body part in question is being tickled.
My nose tickles, and I'm going to sneeze!
- 3
To appeal to someone's taste, curiosity etc.
- 4
To cause delight or amusement in.
He was tickled to receive such a wonderful gift.
Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw.
Such a nature Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon.
- 5
To feel titillation.
He with secret joy therefore Did tickle inwardly in every vein.
- 6
To catch fish in the hand (usually in rivers or smaller streams) by manually stimulating the fins.
- 7
archaicTo be excited or heartened.
adjective
- 1
obsoleteChangeable, capricious; insecure.
So ticle be the termes of mortall state, And full of subtile sophismes, which do play With double senses, and with false debate […]
adverb
- 1
Insecurely, precariously, unstably.
Lucio. I warrant it is: And thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milke-maid, if she be in loue, may sigh it off: Send after the Duke, and appeale to him.
Forms
- plural
- tickles
- comparative
- more tickle
- superlative
- most tickle
- past tense
- tickled
- past participle
- tickled
- present participle
- tickling
- third person singular
- tickles