ticklishadj.
/ˈtɪkl̩ɪʃ/, /ˈtɪklɪʃ/, U.S. /ˈtɪk(ə)lɪʃ/ 1. † b. Sensitive, easily affected; of a horse: Sensitive to touch; tender. Obsolete.
a. Easily tickled; sensitive to tickling.
ΘΚΠ
the world > physical sensation > touch and feeling > sensation of being tickled > [adjective]
tickly1530
tickle1534
ticklish1598
kittly1822
ticklesome1844
goosy1906
1598 J. Florio Worlde of Wordes Solético, ticklish.
1615 H. Crooke Μικροκοσμογραϕια 72 Some part of the skin is..thin, as in the sides and soales of the feete, which is the reason that there men are ticklish.
1685 R. Boyle Ess. Effects of Motion v. 53 A ticklish man, by having the pulp of one's finger passed gently along the sole of his foot,..has divers muscles and other parts of his body and face put into..unusual motions.
1834 F. Marryat Peter Simple I. i. 327 As for not standing the charge of bayonets, it was not because they were less brave, but the fact was, that they were most excessively ticklish.
1899 T. C. Allbutt et al. Syst. Med. VIII. 128 A peculiar mental affection, locally known as Latah (a word signifying nervous or ticklish).
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > operation upon something > [adjective] > involving subjection to action or influence > able or liable to be affected
subjectablea1382
subject1549
occurrent1566
obnoxious1572
prostitute1591
liable1593
incident1603
patible1603
susceptible1605
obvious1609
recipient1610
affectable1611
susceptive1637
receptivea1676
ticklish1681
subjectiblea1732
vacant1751
timid1764
susceptible1883
impressionable1889
the world > animals > mammals > group Ungulata (hoofed) > family Equidae (general equines) > body or parts of horse > [adjective] > sensitive to the touch
ticklish1681
1681 London Gaz. No. 1589/4 She drags her hinder feet,..cuts a little behind, she is very ticklish on her Crest.
1684 R. Waller tr. Ess. Nat. Exper. Acad. del Cimento 6 After this manner may be had a very ticklish Thermometer.
1716 London Gaz. No. 5415/4 [A mare] with a Malender on her near Fore Leg, and very ticklish to be touch'd on that Place.
2.
a. Unstably balanced or poised; easily unbalanced or upset; unsteady; of a boat: easily capsized.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > changeableness > [adjective]
slidinga900
wankleeOE
windyc1000
unsteadfastc1200
fleeting?c1225
loose?c1225
brotelc1315
unstablec1340
varyingc1340
variantc1374
motleyc1380
ungroundedc1380
muablea1393
passiblea1393
remuablea1393
changeablea1398
movablea1398
variablec1397
slidderya1400
ticklec1400
variantc1412
flitting1413
mutable?a1425
movingc1425
flaskisable1430
flickering1430
transmutablec1430
vertible1447
brittlea1450
ficklea1450
permutablec1450
unfirmc1450
uncertain1477
turnable1483
unsteadfast1483
vagrantc1522
inconstant1526
alterable?1531
stirringc1540
slippery1548
various1552
slid?1553
mutala1561
rolling1561
weathery1563
unconstant1568
interchangeable1574
fluctuant1575
stayless1575
transitive1575
voluble1575
changeling1577
queasy1579
desultory1581
huff-puff1582
unstaid1586
vagrant1586
changeful1590
floating1594
Protean1594
unstayed1594
swimming1596
anchorless1597
mobilec1600
ticklish1601
catching1603
labile1603
unrooted1604
quicksilvered1605
versatile1605
insubstantial1607
uncertain1609
brandling1611
rootless1611
squeasy1611
wind-changinga1616
insolid1618
ambulatory1625
versatilous1629
plastic1633
desultorious1637
unbottomed1641
fluid1642
fluent1648
yea-and-nay1648
versipellous1650
flexile1651
uncentred1652
variating1653
chequered1656
slideable1662
transchangeative1662
weathercock-like1663
flicketing1674
fluxa1677
lapsable1678
wanton1681
veering1684
upon the weathercock1702
contingent1703
unsettled?1726
fermentable1731
afloat1757
brickle1768
wavy1795
vagarious1798
unsettled1803
fitful1810
metamorphosical1811
undulating1815
tittupya1817
titubant1817
mutative1818
papier mâché1818
teetotum1819
vacillating1822
capricious1823
sensitive1828
quicksilvery1829
unengrafted1829
fluxionala1834
proteiform1833
liquid1835
tottlish1835
kaleidoscopic1846
versative1846
kaleidoscopical1858
tottery1861
choppy1865
variative1874
variational1879
wimbly-wambly1881
fluctuable1882
shifty1882
giveable1884
shifty1884
tippy1886
mutatory1890
upsettable1890
rocky1897
undulatory1897
streaky1898
tottly1905
tipply1906
up and down1907
inertialess1927
sometimey1946
rise-and-fall1950
switchable1961
1601 P. Holland tr. Pliny Hist. World II. xxxvi. xv. 584 The follie of the blind and bold people of Rome went beyond all; who trusted such a ticklish frame, and durst sit there, in a seat so moveable.
1639 T. Fuller Hist. Holy Warre iii. v. 116 So ticklish are the scales of victory, a very mote will turn them.
1687 A. Lovell tr. J. de Thévenot Trav. into Levant i. 27 Little slight Boats or Wherries, and so tick'lish that by leaning more to one side than another, it is an easie matter to overset them.
1785 W. Cowper Task iii. 550 The ticklish balance of suspense.
1861 P. B. Du Chaillu Explor. Equatorial Afr. xiv. 234 They are ticklish craft.
b. Of game: Difficult to approach; shy: = tickle adj. 7d.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > fear > timidity > [adjective] > easily frightened or startled > of game
wild1813
ticklish1826
1826 P. Hawker Diary (1893) I. 290 He got four wigeon, but found the birds very ticklish.
1829 P. Hawker Diary (1893) I. 359 Birds all scattered and ticklish.
3. figurative. Easily upset in temper; apt to be offended, sensitive, touchy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > touchiness > [adjective]
stomaching1579
pepper-nosed1580
ticklish1581
touchy1602
sensible1613
touchousa1618
tender1641
tickly1661
indigestive1670
snuffy1678
huffy1680
snuffish1689
sorea1694
mifty1699
resentive1710
sensitive1735
uppish1778
miffish1790
miffy1810
stomachy1825
porcupinish1829
insultable1841
offensible1846
highty-tighty1847
prickly1853
fuffy1858
piquable1860
offendable1864
raw1864
ear-sore1865
uffish1871
porcupiny1890
feisty1896
ticklish-tempered1897
toey1930
1581 R. Mulcaster Positions xxxvii. 151 Such parentes as be tikelish, and such scholers as be shifting, remouing from maisters and renouncing of obedience.
1634 T. Johnson tr. A. Paré Chirurg. Wks. 1173 There is not any man so ticklish, which taketh not in good part what I have said.
1794 G. Morris in J. Sparks Life G. Morris (1832) II. 426 Men are very ticklish in such revolutions as the present.
1821 Ld. Byron Let. 16 Nov. (1979) IX. 64 You are ticklish on such points.
4. Unstable, unsteady, unsettled, uncertain, fickle.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > will > decision > irresolution or vacillation > inconstancy > [adjective]
unfastc888
unstathelfasteOE
unsteadfasta1200
fleeting?c1225
changeablea1275
ficklea1275
unstablec1290
waveringc1315
flickerc1325
loose in the haftc1325
motleyc1380
unsadc1384
variablea1387
variantc1386
ticklec1400
inconstant1402
flitting1413
brittle1420
plianta1425
mutablec1425
shittle1440
shittle-witted1448
moonishc1450
unconstant1483
unfirm1483
varying?a1500
pliablea1513
fluctuant1575
changeling1577
shittle-headed1580
cheverel1583
off and on1583
chameleon-like1589
changeful1590
limber1602
unsteady1604
ticklish1606
skittish1609
startling1619
labile1623
uncertaina1625
cheverelized1625
remuant1625
fluctuate1631
fluctuary1632
various1636
contrarious1643
epileptical1646
fluxilea1654
shittle-braineda1655
multivolent1656
totter-headed1662
on and off1668
self-inconsistent1678
weathercocka1680
whifflinga1680
versatile1682
veering1684
fast and loose1697
inconsistent1709
insteadfast1728
unfixing1810
unsteadied1814
chameleonic1821
labefact1874
ballastless1884
weathercocky1886
whiffle-minded1902
the mind > mental capacity > belief > uncertainty, doubt, hesitation > unreliability > [adjective] > insecure, weak
lithy1377
brucklea1400
flickering1430
queasy1459
weaka1538
infirm1557
slender1562
crazed1600
unsinewed1604
ticklish1606
touchy1620
crazied1652
flicketing1674
shaky1841
shackling1846
wonky1919
1606 in Gardiner Hist. Eng. I. 408 (note) Considering..how ticklish their disposition is towards the State.
a1661 T. Fuller Worthies (1662) Sussex 114 But forreign friendship is ticklish, temporary, and lasteth no longer then it is advantaged with mutuall interest.
1694 R. South 12 Serm. II. 99 Uncertain, ticklish and variable.
1803 Dr. Campbell in A. Hunter et al. Georgical Ess. (new ed.) III. xxviii. 514 Resisting the effects of bad weather, in ticklish hay seasons.
1847 Ld. Palmerston Let. 5 Feb. in Bulwer Life (1874) III. 337 A throne whose stability rests on the point of the bayonet has a very ticklish and uncertain basis.
5. Liable to end in disaster unless treated with great care; needing cautious handling or action; delicate, critical, precarious, risky, hazardous.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > difficulty > types of difficulty > [adjective] > difficult or delicate
fine-fingered1549
brickle1568
kittle1568
tickle1569
delicate1574
trickle1579
chary1581
ticklesome1585
ticklish1591
jealous1600
tender1625
nicea1630
thorny1653
parlous1657
tricksy1835
niggling1851
tricky1868
catchy1874
pernickety1884
trickish1900
fiddly1926
footery1929
the world > action or operation > harm or detriment > danger > [adjective] > insecure > precarious
parlous1558
kittle1568
tickle1569
ticklesome1585
queasy1589
ticklish1591
climacterial1606
precipitious1613
touchy1620
climacterica1633
critical1669
precarious1687
touch and go1800
dicey1950
1591 H. Savile tr. Tacitus Ende of Nero: Fower Bks. Hist. i. 48 To beare a man's selfe euenly in so nice and ticklish a case.
1600 P. Holland tr. Livy Rom. Hist. iii. lxv. 133 So ticklish and dangerous a thing it is to keepe a meane in maintenance of libertie.
1666 W. Boghurst Loimographia (1894) 81 This is a very ticklish disease and the least error committed turnes a man out of dores.
1674 N. Fairfax Treat. Bulk & Selvedge To Rdr. 'Tis a more ticklish thing to pen a Preface, than 'tis to write a Book.
1711 J. Swift Lett. (1767) III. 195 'Tis a plaguy ticklish piece of work, and a man hazards losing both sides.
1775 J. Jekyll Let. 1 May in Corr. (1894) 20 Her rash, which perhaps was a critical symptom in her ticklish constitution.
1809 B. H. Malkin tr. A. R. Le Sage Adventures Gil Blas IV. xii. i. 377 A very ticklish predicament.
1899 F. T. Bullen Log of Sea-waif 27 This is a ticklish evolution to perform successfully in a crowded anchorage.
6. quasi-adv. Ticklishly; in a ticklish or easily moved state; unsteadily; delicately. Now rare.
ΘΚΠ
the world > time > change > changeableness > [adverb]
ficklya1300
unconstantlya1542
changefully1615
up and down1643
ticklish1661
titter-totter1673
upon the float1768
titubantly1861
weathercock-wise1874
wimble-wamble1890
rockily1895
1661 R. Baillie Let. 18 Apr. in O. Airy Lauderdale Papers (1884) I. 95 I think you stand tiklish.
1770 P. Luckombe Conc. Hist. Printing 318 The upper sides of these Ribs must..be somewhat arching..then the Cramp-Irons run more easily and ticklish over them.
1775 T. Hutchinson Diary 24 Oct. Mr. Gibbon..says the Minister who proposed them stands ticklish.
Compounds
ticklish-tempered adj.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > anger > irascibility > touchiness > [adjective]
stomaching1579
pepper-nosed1580
ticklish1581
touchy1602
sensible1613
touchousa1618
tender1641
tickly1661
indigestive1670
snuffy1678
huffy1680
snuffish1689
sorea1694
mifty1699
resentive1710
sensitive1735
uppish1778
miffish1790
miffy1810
stomachy1825
porcupinish1829
insultable1841
offensible1846
highty-tighty1847
prickly1853
fuffy1858
piquable1860
offendable1864
raw1864
ear-sore1865
uffish1871
porcupiny1890
feisty1896
ticklish-tempered1897
toey1930
1897 M. Kingsley Trav. W. Afr. 651 Ticklish-tempered native gentlemen.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.1581