1. (v. t.) To comb or card, as wool or flax.

2. (v. t.) To stretch, as cloth, for the purpose of raising a nap; teasel.

3. (v. t.) To tear or separate into minute shreds, as with needles or similar instruments.

4. (v. t.) To vex with importunity or impertinence; to harass, annoy, disturb, or irritate by petty requests, or by jests and raillery; to plague.

5. (n.) One who teases or plagues.

Artful Dodger Casanova Don Juan Machiavel Machiavelli Machiavellian actor aggravate annoy annoyer appeal apply pressure attract badger badgerer baffle bafflement bait balk bamboozler banter be at be attractive beckon bedevil befuddler beguiler beleaguer beset besiege betrayed hope bilk blandish blasted expectation blighted hope blow bother bristle brown off buffet bug bully bullyrag burn up buttonhole cajole cast down chaff charmer chivy coax comedown counterfeiter cross cruel disappointment dash dashed hope deceiver defeat defeat expectation deluder devil disappoint disappointment discomfiture discompose disillusion disillusionment dissatisfaction dissatisfy dissembler dissimulator distemper disturb dodger dog double-dealer drive mad dun duper enchanter engage entrancer exasperate exercise exert pressure failure faker fallen countenance fash fetch fiasco fizzle foil foiling fooler forger forlorn hope frustrate frustration gay deceiver get gnaw goad gripe guy harass harasser harrier harry haze heckle heckler hector hoaxer hope deferred hound hypnotizer importune interest invite irk irritate jape jest jilt jilter jive joke joker jokester jolly josh kid kidder leg-puller let down letdown manipulate mesmerizer miff mirage misleader molest nag nag at needle nettle nudnik nudzh peeve persecute persecutor pest pester pesterer pick on pique plagiarist plagiarizer plague plaguer playactor pluck the beard ply pother practical joker press pressure provoke push put on rag ragger rally razz rib ride rile roast roil role-player ruffle sadist seducer setback sore disappointment spoofer summon tantalization tantalize taunt teaser tempt thwart tickle titillate torment tormentor try the patience tweak the nose twit urge vex wheedle whet the appetite winkle work work on worry