TANTALIZE

tease, razz, rag, cod, tantalize, tantalise, bait, taunt, twit, rally, ride

(verb) harass with persistent criticism or carping; “The children teased the new teacher”; “Don’t ride me so hard over my failure”; “His fellow workers razzed him when he wore a jacket and tie”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

From Tantalus (Τάνταλος) in Greek mythology, who was condemned to Tartarus in the underworld. There, he had to stand for eternity in water that receded from him when he stooped to drink, beneath fruit trees whose branches were always out of reach.

Verb

tantalize (third-person singular simple present tantalizes, present participle tantalizing, simple past and past participle tantalized)

(transitive) to tease (someone) by offering something desirable but keeping it out of reach

(transitive) to bait (someone) by showing something desirable but leaving them unsatisfied

Source: Wiktionary

Tan"ta*lize, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tantalized; p. pr. & vb. n. Tantalizing.] Etym: [From Tantalus: cf. F. tantaliser.]

Definition: 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. Thy vain desires, at strife Within themselves, have tantalized thy life. Dryden.

Syn.

– To tease; vex; irritate; provoke.

– 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.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition