Library / English Dictionary

TICKLE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

The act of tickling

Synonyms:

tickle; tickling; titillation

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("tickle" is a kind of...):

touch; touching (the act of putting two things together with no space between them)

Derivation:

tickle (touch or stroke lightly)

tickle (touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Hypernyms ("tickle" is a kind of...):

cutaneous sensation; haptic sensation; skin sensation (a sensation localized on the skin)

Derivation:

tickle (touch or stroke lightly)

tickle (touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Touch or stroke lightly

Example:

The grass tickled her calves

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tickle" is one way to...):

caress; fondle (touch or stroke lightly in a loving or endearing manner)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Derivation:

tickle (the act of tickling)

tickle (a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking)

tickling (the act of tickling)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Feel sudden intense sensation or emotion

Example:

he was thrilled by the speed and the roar of the engine

Synonyms:

thrill; tickle; vibrate

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "tickle" is one way to...):

excite; shake; shake up; stimulate; stir (stir the feelings, emotions, or peace of)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s somebody

Sense 3

Meaning:

Touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements

Synonyms:

tickle; titillate; vellicate

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Hypernyms (to "tickle" is one way to...):

itch (have or perceive an itch)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody
Something ----s something

Sentence example:

Did he tickle his foot?

Derivation:

tickle (the act of tickling)

tickle (a cutaneous sensation often resulting from light stroking)

tickling (the act of tickling)

Credits

 Context examples: 

There is a man in our own days whose words are not framed to tickle delicate ears: who, to my thinking, comes before the great ones of society, much as the son of Imlah came before the throned Kings of Judah and Israel; and who speaks truth as deep, with a power as prophet-like and as vital—a mien as dauntless and as daring.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

The young leader snarled terribly, but his snarl broke midmost into a tickling cough.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

If he is a sportsman he will be tickled.

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

This quotation from Mr. Barkis was so appropriate, and tickled us both so much, that we laughed again and again, and were quite in a pleasant humour when we came within view of Mr. Peggotty's cottage.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

She whom I had known as the play actress of Anstey Cross became the dowager Lady Avon; whilst Boy Jim, as dear to me now as when we harried birds’ nests and tickled trout together, is now Lord Avon, beloved by his tenantry, the finest sportsman and the most popular man from the north of the Weald to the Channel.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

When his mother was absent, he slept most of the time, while during the intervals that he was awake he kept very quiet, suppressing the whimpering cries that tickled in his throat and strove for noise.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

Tickled, indeed!

(The Lost World, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

His chin was cocked over the coachman's shoulder, so near to me, that his breath quite tickled the back of my head; and as I looked at him, he leered at the leaders with the eye with which he didn't squint, in a very knowing manner.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)