sting

/stiɳ/

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Explanation of the Word "Sting"

Part of Speech: "Sting" can be used as both a noun and a verb.

Advanced Usage

• "Sting operation": A planned operation to catch someone in the act of committing a crime, often involving deception.
  • Example: "The police set up a sting operation to catch the fraudsters."

Word Variants

• Stung (past tense): The past form of "sting."

  • Example: "I was stung by a bee last summer."

• Stinging (present participle): Used to describe something that causes a sharp pain or discomfort.

  • Example: "He felt a stinging sensation in his leg after brushing against the nettles."

Different Meanings

1. Physical Pain: Often related to insects or sharp objects.
2. Emotional Pain: Hurt feelings or psychological distress.
3. Dishonesty: Refers to deceitful practices in gambling or sales.

Synonyms

• For Physical Pain: Prick, jab, bite.
• For Emotional Pain: Hurt, wound, insult.
• For Dishonesty: Scam, trick, con.

Idioms

• "The sting of conscience": Feeling guilty about something you did wrong.
  • Example: "He felt the sting of conscience after lying to his friend."

Phrasal Verbs

• The word "sting" does not commonly form phrasal verbs, but it is often used in various contexts related to its meanings, such as "sting someone" (to cheat) or "sting from" (to feel hurt from).

Summary

Remember, "sting" can refer to both physical and emotional pain, as well as deceitful actions. It can be used in various contexts, from describing the sensation of an insect bite to discussing the emotional impact of harsh words.

Academic

Noun

1. a swindle in which you cheat at gambling or persuade a person to buy worthless property
2. a painful wound caused by the thrust of an insect's stinger into skin
3. a mental pain or distress
   • a pang of conscience
4. a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung
   • the sting of death
   • he felt the stinging of nettles

Verb

1. cause an emotional pain, as if by stinging
   • His remark stung her
2. cause a stinging pain
   • The needle pricked his skin
3. saddle with something disagreeable or disadvantageous
   • They stuck me with the dinner bill
   • I was stung with a huge tax bill
4. deliver a sting to
   • A bee stung my arm yesterday
5. cause a sharp or stinging pain or discomfort
   • The sun burned his face

Synonyms

• bite
• insect bite
• pang
• stinging
• prick
• twinge
• stick
• burn