tan‧ta‧lize (
also tantalise British English) /ˈtænt
əl-aɪz/
verb [intransitive and transitive][
Date: 1500-1600;
Origin: Tantalus king in an ancient Greek story who had to stand up to his chin in water under a fruit tree, but was unable to reach either the water to drink or the fruit to eat]
to show or promise something that someone really wants, but then not allow them to have it
[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲