sting
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- //ˈstɪŋ//
- //ˈstɪŋɡ//
A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
noun
- 1
A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
Look at this nasty hornet sting: it's turned blue!
- 2
A puncture made by an insect or arachnid in an attack, usually including the injection of venom.
She died from a bee sting.
- 3
A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
- 4
A sharp, localized pain primarily on the epidermis.
That plant will give a little sting if you touch it.
- 5
A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles.
- 6
The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.
the lurking serpent's mortal sting
- 7
A police operation in which the police pretend to engage in criminal activity in order to catch a criminal.
The criminal gang was caught after a successful sting.
Shepard: I'm taking you in, Jax. Turian Bodyguard: It's a sting. Bastard set us up. Jax: What the hell are you playing at?
- 8
A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
- 9
A brief sequence of music used in films, TV, and video games as a form of scenic punctuation or to identify the broadcasting station.
- 10
A support for a wind tunnel model which extends parallel to the air flow.
The balance is mounted externally on top of the wind tunnel test section. A sting connects the balance to the model.
- 11
figurativeThe harmful or painful part of something.
The ſting of death is ſinne, […]
Better is 20 R-R5, threatening 21 KR-R1. This action would compel exchanges and reduce the sting of Black's attack.
Just as it appeared Arsenal had taken the sting out of the tie, Johnson produced a moment of outrageous quality, thundering a bullet of a left foot shot out of the blue and into the top left-hand corner of Wojciech Szczesny's net with the Pole grasping at thin air.
- 12
A goad; incitement.
O most potential love! vow, bond, nor space, / In thee hath neither sting, knot, nor confine
- 13
The concluding point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
Etymology
From Middle English styng, sting, stynge, stenge, from Old English sting, stincg (“a sting, stab, thrust made with a pointed instrument; the wound made by a stab or sting”), from Proto-Germanic *stingaz; possibly also from Old English stynġ, from Proto-Germanic *stungiz.
verb
- 1
To hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
- 2
To puncture with the stinger.
A mosquito stung me on the arm.
- 3
figurativeTo hurt, to be in pain (physically or emotionally).
My eyes are stinging from the chopped onions.
My hand stings after knocking on the door so long.
Still, it stung when a slightly older acquaintance asked me why I couldn't do any better.
But Birmingham were clearly stung by some harsh words from manager Alex McLeish at the break and within 15 minutes of the restart the game had an entirely different complexion.
- 4
figurativeTo cause harm or pain to.
I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!
Etymology
From Middle English stingen, from Old English stingan, from Proto-Germanic *stinganą. Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.
Forms
- plural
- stings
- past tense
- stung, stang
- past participle
- stung
- present participle
- stinging
- third person singular
- stings
sting · A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
STing · Storytelling in the context of a tabletop role-playing game,…stingy · Unwilling to spend, give, or share; ungenerous; mean.stink · To have a strong bad smell.