Main Entry:

¹tick·le

Pronunciation:

\ˈti-kəl\

Function:

verb

Inflected Form(s):

tick·led; tick·ling \-k(ə-)liŋ\

Etymology:

Middle English tikelen; akin to Old English tinclian to tickle

Date:

14th century

transitive verb1 a: to excite or stir up agreeably : please <music…does more than tickle our sense of rhythm — Edward Sapir> b: to provoke to laughter or merriment : amuse <were tickled by the clown's antics>2: to touch (as a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements3: to touch or stir gently <a pianist tickling the ivories>intransitive verb1: to have a tingling or prickling sensation <my back tickles>2: to excite the surface nerves to prickle