sting Meaning, Definition & Usage
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noun a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
stinging.
- the sting of death
- he felt the stinging of nettles
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noun a mental pain or distress
pang.
- a pang of conscience
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noun a painful wound caused by the thrust of an insect's stinger into skin
bite; insect bite.
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noun a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
bunko; bunco game; bunko game; flimflam; con game; confidence game; gyp; bunco; hustle; confidence trick; con.
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verb cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
bite; burn.
- The sun burned his face
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verb deliver a sting to
bite; prick.
- A bee stung my arm yesterday
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verb saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous
stick.
- They stuck me with the dinner bill
- I was stung with a huge tax bill
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verb cause a stinging pain
twinge; prick.
- The needle pricked his skin
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verb cause an emotional pain, as if by stinging
- His remark stung her
WordNet
Sting noun
Etymology
AS.Definitions
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(Zoöl.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang of a serpent. See Illust. of Scorpion . -
(Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid is pressed into it. -
Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the stings of remorse; thestings of reproach.The sting of death is sin. 1 Cor. xv. 56.
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The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging. "The lurking serpent's mortal sting." Shak. -
A goad; incitement. Shak. -
The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
Sting transitive verb
Etymology
AS.Wordforms
Definitions
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To pierce or wound with a sting; as, bees will sting an animal that irritates them; the nettlesstung his hands. -
To pain acutely; "Slander stings the brave." Pope.as, the conscience is ; to bite.stung with remorse -
To goad; to incite, as by taunts or reproaches.