needle

Definition from Wiktionary, a free dictionary

Jump to: navigation, search
See also Wikipedia-logo.png Needle on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Contents

[edit] English

An assortment of sewing needles
a hypodermic needle and syringe

[edit] Etymology

From Old English nædl.

[edit] Pronunciation

[edit] Noun

Singular
needle

Plural
needles

needle (plural needles)

  1. A long, thin, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections etc.
    The seamstress threaded the needle to sew on a button.
  2. A long, thin device for indicating measurements on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle.
    The needle on the fuel gauge pointed to empty.
  3. A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.
    Ziggy bought some diamond needles for his hi-fi phonograph.
  4. A long, pointed leaf found on some conifers.
    I boiled some of the needles from the Christmas tree to add a pleasing scent to the air.
  5. A weapon used in ancient China, and today by Shaolin monks.

[edit] Derived terms

[edit] Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables, removing any numbers. Numbers do not necessarily match those in definitions. See instructions at Help:How to check translations.

[edit] See also

[edit] Verb

Infinitive
to needle

Third person singular
needles

Simple past
needled

Past participle
needled

Present participle
needling

to needle (third-person singular simple present needles, present participle needling, simple past and past participle needled)

  1. To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.
    • 1892, H. Lindo Ferguson, "Operation on Microphthamlmic Eyes", Ophthalmic Review‎, volume 11, page 48
      [] the eyes were once more beginning to show the old nystagmus; so I decided to needle the cataracts, and on Jan. 31 I needled the right eye.
    • 2000, Felix Mann, Reinventing Acupuncture, page 109
      Possibly the greatest effect is achieved in the hand by needling the thumb, the index finger and the region of the 1st and 2nd metacarpal.
  2. (transitive, idiomatic) To tease in order to provoke; to poke fun at.
    Billy needled his sister incessantly about her pimples.
    • 1984, Leopold Caligor, Philip M. Bromberg, & James D. Meltzer, Clinical Perspectives on the Supervision of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy‎, page 14
      FRED: Well, I teased her to some extent, or I needled her, not teased her. I needled her about—first I said that she didn't want to work, and then I think that there were a couple of comments.

[edit] Synonyms

[edit] Translations