Etymology : Middle English tikelen; akin to Old English tinclian to tickle
Pronunciation : 'ti-k&l
Function : verb
Date : 14th century
1. stimulation, itching sensation caused by a light touch. create an itching sensation by touching lightly. tickle\tic"kle\ , v. t. [imp. & p. p. tickled ; p. pr. & vb. n. tickling .] [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.].
2. 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. if you tickle us, do we not laugh?.
3. to please; to gratify; to make joyous. pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw. such a nature tickled with good success, disdains the shadow which he treads on at noon.tickle \tic"kle\, v. i.
4. to feel titillation. he with secret joy therefore did tickle inwardly in every vein.
5. to excite the sensation of titillation.tickle \tic"kle\, a.
6. ticklish; easily tickled. [obs.].
7. liable to change; uncertain; inconstant. [obs.] the world is now full tickle, sikerly. so tickle is the state of earthy things.
8. wavering, or liable to waver and fall at the slightest touch; unstable; easily overthrown. [obs.] thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milkmaid, if she be in love, may sigh it off.tickle n.
9. a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking.
10. the act of tickling [syn: tickling, titillation] v 1: touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements [syn: titillate] 2: feel sudden intense sensation or emotion; "he was thrilled by the speed and the roar of the engine." [syn: thrill].
11. touch or stroke lightly; "the grass tickled her calves".
12. 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.
13. To please; to gratify; to make joyous.
14. To feel titillation.
15. To excite the sensation of titillation.
16. Ticklish; easily tickled.
17. Liable to change; uncertain; inconstant.
18. Wavering, or liable to waver and fall at the slightest touch; unstable; easily overthrown. the act of tickling a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking touch or stroke lightly; "The grass tickled her calves" touch lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements.
19. 1. When you tickle someone, you move your fingers lightly over a sensitive part of their body, often in order to make them laugh. I was tickling him, and he was laughing and giggling.
20. If something tickles you or tickles, it causes an irritating feeling by lightly touching a part of your body. a yellow hat with a great feather that tickled her ear A beard doesn't scratch, it just tickles.
21. If a fact or a situation tickles you, it amuses you or gives you pleasure. It tickles me to see:
him riled The story was really funny -- it tickled me. + tickled tick·led They all sounded just as tickled.