titillate

v., -lat·ed, -lat·ing, -lates.

v.tr.

1. To stimulate by touching lightly; tickle.
2. To excite (another) pleasurably, superficially or erotically.

v.intr.

To excite another, especially in a superficial, pleasurable manner: “Once you decide to titillate instead of illuminate . . . you create a climate of expectation that requires a higher and higher level of intensity” (Bill Moyers).

[Latin tītillāre, tītillāt-, to tickle.]

titillater tit'il·lat'er n.
titillatingly tit'il·lat'ing·ly adv.
titillation tit'il·la'tion n.
titillative tit'il·la'tive adj.

v

Definition: excite, stimulate
Antonyms: disenchant, repulse, turn off

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IN BRIEF: Excite pleasurably, especially by touching lightly.

I am all for titillating trivialities. I am all for the epic touch. I could almost say that everything in Time should be either titillating or epic or starkly, supercurtly factual. — Henry R. Luce

Note: click on a word meaning below to see its connections and related words.

The verb has 2 meanings:

Meaning #1: touch (a body part) lightly so as to excite the surface nerves and cause uneasiness, laughter, or spasmodic movements
  Synonyms: tickle, vellicate

Meaning #2: excite pleasurably or erotically

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Dansk (Danish)
v. tr. - kildre, stimulere, pille
v. intr. - stimulere

Nederlands (Dutch)
prikkelen

Français (French)
v. tr. - titiller
v. intr. - titiller

Deutsch (German)
v. - (angenehm) erregen, kitzeln

Ελληνική (Greek)
v. - γαργαλίζω, διεγείρω ευχάριστα

Italiano (Italian)
vellicare

Português (Portuguese)
v. - titilar, deleitar

Русский (Russian)
щекотать, приятно возбуждать

Español (Spanish)
v. tr. - cosquillear, causar placer, causar titilación
v. intr. - titilar

Svenska (Swedish)
v. - kittla, reta, locka, egga

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
使痒, 呵...痒, 使觉得痒, 使高兴, 觉得痒, 被搔痒

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
v. tr. - 使癢, 呵...癢, 使覺得癢, 使高興
v. intr. - 覺得癢, 被搔癢

한국어 (Korean)
v. tr. - 간지럽히다, 기분 좋게 자극하다, 흥을 돋우다
v. intr. - 간지럽히다, 기분 좋게 자극하다

日本語 (Japanese)
v. - くすぐる, 興をそそる

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(فعل) يدغدغ‏

עברית (Hebrew)
v. tr. - ‮דיגדג, גירה, ריגש באופן נעים‬
v. intr. - ‮ריגש אדם אחר, במיוחד באופן שטחי ומענג‬

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