needle
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
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English[edit]
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Etymology[edit]
From Middle English nedle, from Old English nædl, from Proto-Germanic *nēþlō, from pre-Germanic *neh₁-tleh₂, from Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₁- ‘to spin, twist’ (compare Dutch naaien, Welsh nyddu, Latin nēre, Lithuanian snāju, Sanskrit snāyati ‘wraps up, winds’). Related to snood.
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
needle (plural needles)
- 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.
- 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.
- A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.
- Ziggy bought some diamond needles for his hi-fi phonograph.
- A long, pointed leaf found on some conifers.
- 1994, Stephen Fry, The Hippopotamus, ch. 2:
- At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth.
- 1994, Stephen Fry, The Hippopotamus, ch. 2:
- (informal, usually preceded by the) The death penalty carried out by lethal injection.
Derived terms[edit]
terms derived from needle (noun)
Translations[edit]
implement for sewing etc.
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indicating device
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sensor phonograph stylus
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leaf of conifer
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- 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.
Translations to be checked
See also[edit]
Verb[edit]
needle (third-person singular simple present needles, present participle needling, simple past and past participle needled)
- 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.
- 1892, H. Lindo Ferguson, "Operation on Microphthamlmic Eyes", Ophthalmic Review, volume 11, page 48
- (transitive) 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.
- (transitive) To form in the shape of a needle.
- to needle crystals
Synonyms[edit]
Translations[edit]
to pierce with a needle
to tease in order to provoke
