tease out
Related to tease out: handled, catching up
tease out
1. To separate something that has become entangled. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tease" and "out." My mother used a hairbrush to tease the knot out of my hair.
2. To gradually or incrementally extract or uncover a piece of information, as through careful analysis or probing. A noun or pronoun can be used between "tease" and "out." I was able to tease out the meaning of the film only after watching it again for the fourth time. After a lot of probing and coaxing, we finally teased an answer out of the boss.
See also: out, tease
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
tease something out
Fig. to separate threads or hairs by combing. The hairdresser teased Jill's hair out carefully. The hairdresser teased out Jill's hair.
See also: out, tease
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
tease out
Lure out, obtain or extract with effort, as in We had a hard time teasing the wedding date out of him. This term alludes to the literal sense of tease, "untangle or release something with a pointed tool." [Mid-1900s]
See also: out, tease
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
tease out
v.
To remove or obtain something by or as if by untangling or releasing with a pointed tool or device: I teased the knot out with a pair of tweezers. The interviewer teased the truth out of the politician.
See also: out, tease
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- tease (someone or something) out of (someone or something)
- tease out of
- pick on
- pick on (someone or something)
- sport with
- sport with (someone or something)
- take (something) in good part
- take something in good part