tickle

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   touch or stroke lightly

   The grass tickled my calves as I sat down to read my book.

2. 2
   noun

   An itchy feeling resembling the result of tickling.

   I have a persistent tickle in my throat.

3. 3
   noun

   A light tap of the ball.

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

4. 4
   noun

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

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

5. 5
   verb

   To 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.

6. 6
   verb

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

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

7. 7
   verb

   To cause delight or amusement in.

   He was tickled to receive such a wonderful gift.

8. 8
   verb

   To feel titillation.

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

Etymology

From Middle English tiklen, tikelen, of uncertain origin. Perhaps from a frequentative form of Middle English tikken (“to touch lightly”), thus equivalent to tick + -le; or perhaps related to Old English tinclian (“to tickle”). Compare North Frisian tigele (“to tickle”) (Hallig dialect), and tiikle (“to tickle”) (Amrum dialect), German dialectal zicklen (“to excite; stir up”). Alternatively, from a metathetic alteration of Middle English kitelen ("to tickle"; see kittle). Both are ultimately sound-symbolic.