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  1. tantalize love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. v. To excite (another) by exposing something desirable while keeping it out of reach.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

  1. To tease or torment by presenting something desirable to the view, and frustrating expectation by keeping it out of reach; excite expectations or hopes or fears in (a person) which will not be realized; tease; torment; vex. Also spelled tantalise.

Wiktionary

  1. v. transitive to tease (someone) by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach
  2. v. transitive to bait (someone) by showing something desirable but leaving them unsatisfied

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. v. 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.

WordNet 3.0

  1. v. harass with persistent criticism or carping

Etymologies

  1. From Tantalus (Τάνταλος) in Greek mythology, who was condemned to Tartarus in the underworld. There, he had to stand for eternity in water that receded from him when he stooped to drink, beneath fruit trees whose branches were always out of reach. (Wiktionary)
  2. From Latin Tantalus, Tantalus; see Tantalus. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

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Lists

These user-created lists contain the word ‘tantalize’.

Comments

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  • rolig Oroboros, for anyone who loves etymology and morphology, that word is like fingernails on a blackboard. What is -nypo- supposed to mean? Nov 18, 2009

  • oroboros Also see anonyponymous. Nov 18, 2009

  • rolig The short yet circuitous answer is: because some people are surprised to learn that this is an eponym.

    The word comes from the Greek myth about Tantalus, whom the gods punished by tantalizing him for all eternity. Feb 4, 2009

  • sarra Click the little "OE" icon above and be enlightened! Feb 4, 2009

  • jennarenn rolig, why is this on your surprisingly eponymous list? Feb 3, 2009

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‘tantalize’ has been looked up 3883 times, loved by 3 people, added to 45 lists, commented on 5 times, and has a Scrabble score of 18.