stuzzicare

stuzzicare

Italian

Etymology

From Middle High German stutzen, stozen related to Old High German stozan and Gothic 𐍃𐍄𐌰𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (stautan). Alternatively onomatopoeic.[1]

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /stut.t͡siˈka.re/
  • Rhymes: -are
  • Hyphenation: stuz‧zi‧cà‧re

Verb

stuzzicàre (first-person singular present stùzzico, first-person singular past historic stuzzicài, past participle stuzzicàto, auxiliary avére) (transitive)

  1. to poke or prod (at)
    Non stuzzicare il can che dorme.
    Don't poke the bear.
    (literally, “Don't prod the sleeping dog.”)
  2. to tease
    Non stuzzicarmi.Don't tease me.
  3. to whet (the appetite)
  4. (figurative) to stimulate, to flush
    L'idea mi stuzzica.The idea excites me.

Conjugation

Derived terms

References

  1. ^ stuzzicare in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana