Tantalizing

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  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 WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  tantalizing
       adj 1: arousing desire or expectation for something unattainable or
              mockingly out of reach; "a tantalizing taste of
              success" [syn: {tantalising}]
       2: very pleasantly inviting; "a tantalizing aroma"; "a tempting
          repast" [syn: {tantalising}, {tempting}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  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