Can you tease your hair?
I am listening to English television and radio for decades, but I never heard of this use of the verb to tease. Is it common? Apart from the meaning most of us probably know (to tease is to torment, to pester, to bother), to tease apparently is also a verb used to comb your hair? Is this really a commonly used expression, or is the writer of my novel only trying to use as many synonyms as possible? I give you the sentence below:

The third of the trio was a young woman with dyed black hair *teased* into a threatening-looking Mohawk, brow, nose and lip piercings, and a tattoo of Thor's hammer on her muscular biceps.

Question

Can you tease your hair?
I am listening to English television and radio for decades, but I never heard of this use of the verb to tease. Is it common? Apart from the meaning most of us probably know (to tease is to torment, to pester, to bother), to tease apparently is also a verb used to comb your hair? Is this really a commonly used expression, or is the writer of my novel only trying to use as many synonyms as possible? I give you the sentence below:

The third of the trio was a young woman with dyed black hair *teased* into a threatening-looking Mohawk, brow, nose and lip piercings, and a tattoo of Thor's hammer on her muscular biceps.

Answer

Thats a good one ;)

Normal usage is to 'tease out a knot', often in hair. It implies that the knot will be undone, a little at a time, by tugging at it gently, trying not to make it worse.

Your example is a small variation, as it implies 'teasing' was used to construct the hairstyle, and not to undo a knot. In this context it means lots of small, delicate efforts to get it into the desired style. hopefully you can see why 'teasing' is the same activity in both cases, but with a different outcome.

Answer

Thanks Ashley.

Answer

Lao Kou, in the eighties I was not one of the teenagers that wanted to get attention with exterior things like hairstyle or fashion.

Answer

It's also called "backcombing" hair--the same thing as teasing hair. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backcombing

Answer

Can you tease your hair? Can you tease your hair?!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bouffant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beehive_(hairstyle)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_hair

http://www.folica.com/tools/hair-combs-and-picks/rsession-tools-professional-teasing-combs

http://www.wikihow.com/Tease-Your-Hair

Too much hairspray? Too much mousse? Too much gel? Pshaw! :D (Where *were* you in the 80s? Hair like that doesn't just "happen". :D)

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to learn a language from the comfort of your own home. Browse our selection of experienced language tutors and enroll in your first lesson now!