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tease [tease 词源字典]: tease: [OE] Tease originally meant ‘separate the fibres of wool’ (a sense still perceptible in the metaphorical tease out ‘disentangle something complicated’). It came from a prehistoric West Germanic *taisjan, whose base was also the source of English teasel [OE], a plant whose prickly flower heads were used for carding wool. The notion of ‘irritating someone with prickles’ led in the 17th century to tease being used for ‘pester’, which gradually weakened into ‘make fun of’.
[tease etymology, tease origin, 英语词源]
protease (n.): 1903, from protein + -ase. Related: Proteolysis.
strip-tease (n.): also striptease, 1936, perhaps a back-formation from stripteaser (1930); see strip (v.) + tease (n.). Strip (v.) and tease (v.) both were used in this sense in late 1920s. Life magazine used strippeuse (1938-40).
tease (v.): formerly also teaze, Old English tæsan "pluck, pull, tear; pull apart, comb" (fibers of wool, flax, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *taisijan (cognates: Danish tæse, Middle Dutch tesen, Dutch tezen "to draw, pull, scratch," Old High German zeisan "to tease, pick wool").

The original sense is of running thorns through wool or flax to separate, shred, or card the fibers. The figurative sense of "vex, worry, annoy" (sometimes done in good humor) emerged 1610s. For similar sense development, compare heckle. Hairdressing sense is recorded from 1957. Related: Teased; teasing; teasingly.
tease (n.): 1690s, "act of teasing," from tease (v.). Meaning "one who teases" is from 1852. Specifically as short for cock-teaser, it was in use by 1976.
teasel (n.): also teazel, teazle, type of plant, Old English tæsel "large thistle used in teasing cloth," from Proto-Germanic *taisilo (cognates: Old High German zeisala), from root of Old English tæsan "to pluck" (see tease (v.)).
teaser (n.): "one who teases" (wool, flax, etc.), late 15c. (late 13c. as a surname), agent noun from tease (v.). From 1934 as "short sample, introductory advertisement."
teaspoon (n.): 1680s, from tea + spoon (n.). Related: teaspoonful.