Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

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

tantalize

 verb
     
tan‧ta‧lize also tantalise British English [intransitive,transitive ]
to show or promise something that someone really wants, but then not allow them to have it
Definition from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
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