tickle

plural tickles

1. The act of tickling.
2. An itchy feeling resembling the result of tickling.

   I have a persistent tickle in my throat.

3. informalball gamesA light tap of the ball.

   There's a very fine line between a tickle and an edge!

   2016, Ann Waterhouse, Cricket Made Simple

4. NewfoundlandA narrow strait, such as between an island and the shore.

   Cow Head itself is a prominent headland connected to the settlement by a natural causeway, or ‘tickle’ as the Newfoundlanders prefer it.

   2004, Richard Fortey, The Earth, Folio Society, published 2011, page 169

   1 more example

   Charts and Plans. [...] No. New Charts. 2253 England, and south coast—Dartmouth harbour. [...] 3320 Newfoundland, Thimble tickles and Glover harbour—Head of Seal bay.

   1903 April 8, The Syren and Shipping, page 169

present singular third person tickles · participle present tickling · participle past tickled · past tickled

1. transitiveTo touch repeatedly or stroke delicately in a manner which typically causes laughter, pleasure and twitching.

   He tickled Nancy's tummy, and she started to giggle.

   1 more example

   If you tickle us, do we not laugh?

   c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene i]

2. intransitiveTo feel as if the body part in question is being tickled.

   My nose tickles, and I'm going to sneeze!

3. transitiveTo appeal to someone's taste, curiosity etc.
4. transitiveTo cause delight or amusement in.

   He was tickled to receive such a wonderful gift.

   2 more examples

   Behold the child, by Nature's kindly law, Pleas'd with a rattle, tickled with a straw.

   1733, Alexander Pope, “Epistle II”, in An Essay on Man, lines 275–276; republished in The Complete Poetical Works of Alexander Pope, Boston, New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1902, page 145

   Such a nature Tickled with good success, disdains the shadow Which he treads on at noon.

   c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]

5. intransitiveTo feel titillation.

   He with secret joy therefore Did tickle inwardly in every vein.

   1591, Ed[mund] Sp[enser], “Muiopotmos, or The Fate of the Butterflie”, in Complaints. Containing Sundrie Small Poemes of the Worlds Vanitie. […], London: […] William Ponsonbie, […], →OCLC

6. transitiveTo catch fish in the hand (usually in rivers or smaller streams) by manually stimulating the fins.
7. archaicTo be excited or heartened.

comparative more tickle · superlative most tickle

1. obsoleteChangeable, capricious; insecure.

   So ticle be the termes of mortall state, And full of subtile sophismes, which do play With double senses, and with false debate […]

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto IV”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC

comparative more tickle · superlative most tickle

1. Insecurely, precariously, unstably.

   Lucio. I warrant it is: And thy head stands so tickle on thy shoulders, that a milke-maid, if she be in loue, may sigh it off: Send after the Duke, and appeale to him.

   c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “Measure for Measure”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]

plural Tickles

1. A habitational surname from Old English.