Tease vs Provocate - What's the difference?
tease | provocate |
To separate the fibres of a fibrous material.
To comb (originally with teasels) so that the fibres all lie in one direction.
To back-comb.
To poke fun at.
To provoke or disturb; to annoy.
* (1800-1859)
*:Hesuffered them to tease him into acts directly opposed to his strongest inclinations.
*1684 , , (Hudibras)
*:Not by the force of carnal reason, / But indefatigable teasing .
*
*:"My tastes," he said, still smiling, "incline me to the garishly sunlit side of this planet." And, to tease her and arouse her to combat: "I prefer a farandole to a nocturne; I'd rather have a painting than an etching; Mr. Whistler bores me with his monochromatic mud; I don't like dull colours, dull sounds, dull intellects;."
To entice, to tempt.
(nonstandard) To provoke
To call forth
To challenge
