  A representation is put forward for wave functions of quantum particles in
periodic lattice potentials subjected to homogeneous time-periodic forcing,
based on an expansion with respect to Bloch-like states which embody both the
spatial and the temporal periodicity. It is shown that there exists a
generalization of Bloch's famous acceleration theorem which grows out of this
representation and captures the effect of a weak probe force applied in
addition to a strong dressing force. Taken together, these elements point at a
"dressing and probing" strategy for coherent wave-packet manipulation, which
could be implemented in present experiments with optical lattices.
