Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun A punishment like that of Tantalus; a teasing or tormenting by the hope or near approach of something desirable but not attainable; tantalization. See
tantalize .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A punishment like that of Tantalus; a teasing or tormenting by the hope or near approach of good which is not attainable; tantalization.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A
punishment like that of themythological Tantalus ; a teasing or tormenting by the hope or near approach of good which is notattainable .
Etymologies
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
See tantalize.
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Examples
-
Now Kedzie's surety was her canny realization of the value of tantalism.
We Can't Have Everything Rupert Hughes 1914
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Following his policy of tantalism, Deerfoot made a mock bow and said:
Deerfoot in The Mountains Edward Sylvester Ellis 1878
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