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A.Word.A.Day--tantalize

tantalize (TAN-tuh-lyz) verb tr.

To tease or torment by showing something desirable but keeping it out of reach.

[After Tantalus in Greek mythology. Tantalus, a king of Lydia, was condemned to stand in Hades chin deep in water and under fruits that receded whenever he tried to drink water or eat the fruit.]

"(JK) Rowling e-mailed Catie back with some tantalizing snippets from her fourth book -- `Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire' -- and then phoned her in Albany, New York to read extracts."
Rowling Read Unfinished Potter Book To Dying Fan; The Times of India (New Delhi, India); Dec 29, 2002.

"Though Law & Order follows a long line of case-solving hits from Dragnet to Columbo, its penchant for real-life cases is its bread and butter. They tantalize with a whiff of familiarity, but often veer off in another direction to surprise viewers -- and to forestall lawsuits."
Gary Levin; Plot Ideas Ripped From the Headlines; USA Today; Dec 6, 2002.

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