General: teasing
Teasing comes in two major forms, playful and hurtful. When teasing is playful and friendly, and especially when it is reciprocal, teasing can be regarded as flirting. People may be teased on such matters as their appearance, weight, behavior, abilities, and clothing. From the victim's point-of-view, this kind of teasing is often hurtful, irrespective of the intention of the teaser. When teasing is unwelcome, it may be regarded as harassment or mobbing, especially in the work place, or as a form of bullying or emotional abuse. If done in public, it may be regarded as humiliation. One may also tease an animal. Some animals, such as dogs and cats, may recognize this as play.
In a sexual sense, can refer to the use of posture, language or other means of flirting to cause another person to become sexually aroused. Such teasing may or may not be a prelude to intercourse, an ambiguity which can lead to uncomfortable situations. In a more physical sense, it can also refer to sexual stimulation.
The following tags are aliased to this tag: tease
