Green’s Dictionary of Slang

amused, pleased.

1597–8		Jonson Case Is Altered I ii: I have such an odd pretty apprehension of his humour, methinks, that I am e’en tickled with the conceit of it.
1611		L. Barry Ram-Alley II i: I am tickled with conceit of marriage.
c.1637		R. Brome Damoiselle III ii: O, I am tickled with it.
1659		Greene & Lodge Lady Alimony II ii: But note my precious Wagge, how infinitely they seem tickeld with the Accounts, which those Ladies return them of their Court-proceedings.
1675		Head Nugae Venales 147: [These] last words so tickled the Picard with laughter, that he could not [...] do him any further mischief.
1683		Night-Walker of Bloomsbury 2: There was an Apothecary too, whose spleen was extremely tickl’d at the Conceit of their design.
1700		Congreve Way of the World V ii: To discompose the gravity of the bench, and provoke naughty interrogatories in more naughty law Latin; while the good judge, tickled with the proceedings, simpers under a grey beard.
1719		in D’Urfey Pills to Purge Melancholy II 345: Why, see now what a Country lass can do, / When would they e’er be tickled so by you?
1751		Smollett Peregrine Pickle (1964) 381: The company was so tickled with this address [...] that they burst out into a loud fit of laughter.
1759–67		Sterne Tristram Shandy (1949) 324: My father was hugely tickled with the subtleties of these learned discourses.
1836		T. Haliburton Clockmaker I 95: He looked as tickled all the time as possible.
1847		Somerset Herald 13 July 1/1: At first I was tickled at it, and would set and laugh at her.
1851		Melville Moby Dick (1907) 55: The grinning landlord, as well as the boarders, seemed amazingly tickled at the sudden friendship which had sprung up between me and Queequeg.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 51/1: Some ‘flats’ would get so tickled with the wine and women, that they would order [...] a dozen bottles.
1871		E. Eggleston Hoosier School-Master (1892) 68: Shocky was so tickled that he could hardly keep his seat.
1883		G.W. Peck Peck’s Bad Boy and His Pa (1887) 68: My chum and me laffed, we was so tickled.
1890		Bird o’ Freedom 22 Jan. 3: The recipient himself is usually tickled immensely with the absurdity of the whole proceeding.
1899–1900		C.L. Cullen Tales of the Ex-Tanks 312: I was rather tickled to have a chance to exhibit my hustling abilities.
1905		Marvel III:55 8: The waiter nearly pitched headlong down the stairs, he was so tickled by the word.
1916		J. Lait ‘One Touch of Art’ in Beef, Iron and Wine (1917) 221: Ma’ll be so tickled and s’prised.
1923		Wodehouse Inimitable Jeeves 177: The Tough Eggs were tickled by this bit of information.
1938		D. Runyon ‘The Brakeman’s Daughter’ in Runyon on Broadway (1954) 513: I am certainly tickled to find you.
1945		F.H. Hubbard Railroad Avenue 173: I was tickled as a kid with a new toy.
1956		N. Algren Walk on the Wild Side 169: My Oliver is just so tickled with them raw silk lounging pyjamas.
1967		(con. 1920s) J. Thompson South of Heaven (1994) 5: Am I ever tickled to see you.
1978		P. Theroux Picture Palace 124: Blanche was especially tickled that it had happened with Sandy.
1999		K. Sampson Powder 285: Guy rubbed his brow, half tickled, half depressed.
2000		M. Amis Experience 293: He was pleased, impressed, tickled.