Tantalizing
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Tantalize \Tan"ta*lize\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Tantalized}; p.
pr. & vb. n. {Tantalizing}.] [From {Tantalus}: cf. F.
tantaliser.]
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.
[1913 Webster]
Thy vain desires, at strife
Within themselves, have tantalized thy life. --Dryden.
[1913 Webster]
Syn: To tease; vex; irritate; provoke.
Usage: {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.
[1913 Webster]
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
130 Moby Thesaurus words for "tantalizing":
acceptable, adorable, agitating, agreeable, alluring, appealing,
appetizing, attractive, beguiling, bewitching, blandishing,
breathtaking, cajoling, captivating, catching, charged,
charismatic, charming, cliff-hanging, coaxing, come-hither,
coquettish, delightful, desirable, disappointing, disquieting,
distracting, disturbing, electric, enchanting, engaging,
enravishing, enthralling, enticing, entrancing, enviable, exciting,
exhilarating, exotic, exquisite, falling short, fascinating,
fetching, flirtatious, galvanic, glamorous, heady, heart-expanding,
heart-robbing, heart-stirring, heart-swelling, heart-thrilling,
hypnotic, impressive, inflammatory, interesting, intoxicating,
intriguing, inviting, irresistible, jarring, jolting, juicy,
likable, lively, lovable, lovely, luxurious, maddening, mesmeric,
mind-blowing, mouth-watering, moving, overcoming, overmastering,
overpowering, overwhelming, perturbing, piquant, pleasing,
prepossessing, provocative, provoking, provoquant, racy, ravishing,
readable, rich, second best, seducing, seductive, sensuous, siren,
sirenic, soul-stirring, spellbinding, spellful, spicy,
spirit-stirring, stimulating, stimulative, stirring, striking,
succulent, suspenseful, suspensive, taking, teasing, telling,
tempting, thought-challenging, thought-inspiring,
thought-provoking, thrilling, thrilly, tickling, titillating,
titillative, to be desired, toothsome, troubling, unobjectionable,
unsatisfactory, unsettling, upsetting, voluptuous, winning,
winsome, witching, worth having
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