Dictionary entry

Tickle

Webster's Dictionary 1913

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.] 1. 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? Shak.

2. To please; to gratify; to make joyous.

Pleased with a rattle, tickled with a straw. Pope.

Such a nature

Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow

Which he treads on at noon. Shak.