urticate
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb:
- To sting with or as with nettles, causing a stinging pain or sensation: This refers to the action of producing a stinging feeling on the skin, similar to the effect of contact with nettle plants.
- To whip with or as with nettles: This is a more figurative or literal use meaning to lash or strike, evoking the sharp, irritating sensation of a nettle sting.
Usage Examples
- Verb:
- The tiny hairs on the caterpillar can urticate the skin, causing an itchy rash.
- He claimed the plant would urticate anyone who brushed against it.
- The harsh criticism seemed to urticate his pride.
Advanced Usage
- Medical/Biological Context: Used to describe the defensive mechanism of certain plants or animals (like some caterpillars or jellyfish) that cause a stinging sensation.
- The jellyfish's tentacles can urticate upon contact, releasing venom.
- Figurative Use: Can be applied metaphorically to describe something that causes sharp, irritating discomfort, often emotional or psychological.
- Her sarcastic remarks never failed to urticate him.
Variants and Related Words
- Urtication (noun): The act or condition of being stung or causing a stinging sensation; a medical term for a nettle-like rash or the therapeutic use of stinging nettles.
- The urtication from the plant was intense but short-lived.
- Urticant (adjective/noun): (Something) causing a stinging or itching sensation.
- The urticant properties of the chemical required protective gloves.
Synonyms
- Sting: To cause a sharp, smarting pain.
- Irritate: To provoke impatience, anger, or discomfort.
- Prickle: To cause a slight stinging or tingling sensation.
Related Phrases/Idioms
- To cause a nettle-like rash: This is a descriptive phrase closely related to the primary meaning of "urticate."
- Handling that plant without gloves may cause a nettle-like rash.
Verb
- sting with or as with nettles and cause a stinging pain or sensation
- whip with or as with nettles