sting Definition
sting (stiŋ)
transitive verb stung, sting′·ing
- to prick or wound with a sting: said of plants and insects
- to cause sharp, sudden, smarting pain to, by or as by pricking with a sharp point the cold wind stinging their cheeks
- to cause to suffer mentally; make unhappy to be stung by one's conscience
- to stir up or stimulate suddenly and sharply stung into action by her words
- Slang to cheat; esp., to overcharge
Etymology: ME stingen < OE stingan, akin to ON stinga < IE base *stegh-, to pierce, sharp > stag
intransitive verb
- to use a sting; prick or wound with a sting
- to cause or feel sharp, smarting pain, either physical or mental his arm stinging from the blow
noun
- the act of stinging
- a pain or wound resulting from or as from stinging
- a thing that urges or stimulates; goad
- the ability or power to sting or wound criticism with much sting in it
- a sharp-pointed organ in insects and certain other animals, used to prick, wound, or inject poison
- any of the hollow, stinging hairs on some plants, as nettles
- Slang an instance or method of cheating or swindling, as in a confidence game; esp., such an instance or method engaged in by law-enforcement agents to entrap criminals
Etymology: OE sting
sting Related Forms
sting′·less adjective
sting Synonyms
sting
n.
sting Synonyms
sting Usage Examples
Subject
- jellyfish: Hugh attacked - Jan 05 Hugh Grant stung by jellyfish in Barbados.
- scorpion: A Northern Ireland woman has been stung by a rare scorpion during a visit to her local supermarket.
- wasp: Apart from troubling your baby, they will be in danger of being stung by the wasp or infected by the fly.
- bee: You are several thousand times more likely to be stung by a bee or wasp than be bitten by a spider in the UK.
- nettle: The rash that occurs after being stung by nettles happens within minutes of contact.
Adjective modifier
nasty: Watch out for the fire corals in shallow water these creamy tan or mustard colored corals can give a nasty sting.
Modifies a noun
ray: There must have been about 30 sting rays swimming about our legs.
Noun used with modifier
- wasp: She showed us a " little " wasp sting on her arm.
- nettle: The beginner can rest assured, however that the fear of nettle stings is always far worse than the actual sting.
- jellyfish: Is anybody able to confirm this is a jellyfish sting from their own experience?
- bee: Some suffer bee sting like symptoms others like me get the full works.
- scorpion: Treatment of a scorpion sting Pain at the site of the sting can sometimes be limited with an ice cube.
- insect: Insect stings in the mouth or throat may cause swelling leading to asphyxia.
Preposition: in
tail: Two ugly stings in the tail Now, the bad news.
Preposition: like
bee: Back to top Boxing ' Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!
Preposition: by
- jellyfish: Hugh attacked - Jan 05 Hugh Grant stung by jellyfish in Barbados.
- scorpion: A Northern Ireland woman has been stung by a rare scorpion during a visit to her local supermarket.
- wasp: Apart from troubling your baby, they will be in danger of being stung by the wasp or infected by the fly.
- bee: You are several thousand times more likely to be stung by a bee or wasp than be bitten by a spider in the UK.
- nettle: The rash that occurs after being stung by nettles happens within minutes of contact.
Browse dictionary entries near sting
- ‹ Stinchcombe, Arthur S
- ‹ stimy
- ‹ stimulus
- ‹ stimulating
- ‹ stimulated
- ‹ stimulate
- ‹ stimulant
- ‹ Stimson
- ‹ Stilwell, General Joseph
- ‹ Stilton (cheese)
- Sting originally Gordon Matthew Sumner ›
- stingaree ›
- stinger ›
- stinging hair ›
- stingray ›
- stingy ›
- stink ›
- stink bomb ›
- stink bug ›
- stinker ›

