01 v. t. To tease or torment by presenting some good to the view and exciting desire, but continually frustrating the expectations by keeping that g…
imp. & p. p.
Tantalized; p. pr. & vb. n.
Tantalizing
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1.
To tease or torment by presenting some good to the view and exciting desire, but continually frustrating the expectations by keeping that good out of reach; to tease; to torment.“Thy vain desires, at strife Within themselves, have tantalized thy life.” — Dryden.
Syn.
To tease; vex; irritate; provoke.
-- Tantalize, Disappoint. To disappoint is literally to do away with what was (or was taken to be) appointed; hence the peculiar pain from hopes thus dashed to the ground. To tantalize, a much stronger term, describes a most distressing form of disappointment, as in the case of Tantalus, the Phrygian king. To tantalize is to visit with the bitterest disappointment -- to torment by exciting hopes or expectations which can never be realized.