sting

/stiɳ/
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sting

A bee stings a child on the arm.

Definition

  1. Noun:

    • A sharp, often burning, physical pain: A painful sensation, typically caused by the injection of venom from an insect, plant, or other source.
    • A mental or emotional pain: A feeling of sharp distress, hurt, or irritation.
    • A pointed, often venomous, organ: The sharp, sometimes hollow, part of an animal (like a bee or scorpion) used to wound and inject poison.
    • A clever, often hurtful, quality in speech or writing: A sharp, biting, or incisive quality.

  2. Verb:

    • To cause a sharp, smarting pain: To inflict a wound that results in a burning or prickling sensation.
    • To cause emotional pain or distress: To hurt someone's feelings with sharp or critical words.
    • To charge someone too much money; to swindle: (Informal) To overcharge or cheat someone financially.
Examples of Usage

  • Noun:

    • I felt a sharp sting on my arm from the wasp.
    • Her words carried a sting of criticism.
    • The bee left its sting in my skin.

  • Verb:

    • The antiseptic will sting a little when applied to the cut.
    • His harsh comment stung her deeply.
    • I think we got stung on the price of this car.
Advanced Usage

  • "The sting is in the tail": The most unpleasant or dangerous part comes at the end.

    • The report seemed positive, but the sting was in the tail with its final recommendations.

  • "Take the sting out of something": To make something less painful or unpleasant.

    • A sincere apology can take the sting out of a criticism.
Variants and Related Words

  • Stinger (n): The sharp organ used by an animal to sting.

    • The jellyfish's stinger can cause severe pain.

  • Stinging (adj): Causing a sharp, burning pain; bitterly critical.

    • He made a stinging remark about her work.

  • Stingy (adj): Unwilling to give or spend; ungenerous. (Note: This is a different word with a different meaning, but it is a common homophone).

    • He is too stingy to leave a tip.
Synonyms
  • Noun: Prick, pang, bite, hurt, ache.
  • Verb: Prick, burn, smart, hurt, wound, overcharge, cheat.
Related Phrasal Verbs
  • Sting for (something): (Informal) To persuade or trick someone into paying for something.
    • He always tries to sting me for a loan.
Related Idioms

  • A sting in the tail: An unexpected and unpleasant ending to something.

    • The contract had a sting in the tail with hidden fees.

  • Sting like a bee: To be capable of delivering a sharp, effective blow or criticism.

    • In the debate, her rebuttals were quick and stung like a bee.
sting

A bee stings a child on the arm.

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

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