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sting

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary
See also: STing and Sting

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
A wasp sting—a pointed portion of an insect

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /stɪŋ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɪŋ

Etymology 1

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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.

Noun

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sting (plural stings)

  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.
    Synonym: stinger
  4. A sharp, localized pain primarily on the epidermis.
    That plant will give a little sting if you touch it.
  5. (botany) 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.
  7. (law enforcement) 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.
    • 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
      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?
  9. A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
  10. A brief sequence of music used in films, TV, and video games as a form of scenic punctuation or to identify the broadcasting station.
    Synonym: sounder
  11. A support for a wind tunnel model which extends parallel to the air flow.
    • 2001, T. J. Mueller, Fixed and Flapping Wing Aerodynamics for Micro Air Vehicle Applications, page 118:
      The balance is mounted externally on top of the wind tunnel test section. A sting connects the balance to the model.
  12. (figurative) The harmful or painful part of something.
    • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 15:56, column 1:
      The ſting of death is ſinne, […]
    • 2011 January 19, Jonathan Stevenson, “Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal”, in BBC‎[1]:
      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.
  13. A goad; incitement.
  14. The concluding point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
Synonyms
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  • (pointed portion of an insect or arachnid): stinger
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Etymology 2

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From Middle English stingen, from Old English stingan, from Proto-Germanic *stinganą. Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.

Verb

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sting (third-person singular simple present stings, present participle stinging, simple past stung or (rare, dialectal) stang, past participle stung)

  1. (ambitransitive) To hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
  2. (transitive, of an insect or arachnid) To puncture with the stinger.
    A mosquito stung me on the arm.
  3. (intransitive, sometimes figurative) To hurt, to be in pain (physically or emotionally).
    Synonym: smart
    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.
    • 2011 January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham”, in BBC‎[2]:
      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.
    • 2021 December 11, Julian Young, “Halo Infinite players will soon be able to replay campaign missions”, in Dexerto‎[3]:
      While the absence of replayable story missions certainly stings for many fans, Halo Infinite’s campaign still has plenty to offer.
  4. (figurative) To cause harm or pain to.
    I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!
Derived terms
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Translations
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The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked

Anagrams

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Middle English

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Etymology 1

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Noun

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sting

  1. alternative form of styng

Etymology 2

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Verb

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sting

  1. (Northern) alternative form of styngen

Norwegian Bokmål

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Etymology

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From the verb stinge.

Noun

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sting n (definite singular stinget, indefinite plural sting, definite plural stinga or stingene)

  1. a stitch (in sewing and surgery)
  2. stitch (pain in the side)
    Synonyms: hold, leverhogg

References

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Norwegian Nynorsk

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Etymology

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From the verb stinga, from Old Norse stinga, from Proto-Germanic *stinganą.

Noun

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sting m (definite singular stingen, indefinite plural stingar or stinger, definite plural stingane or stingene)

  1. clipping of miltsting

Noun

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sting n (definite singular stinget, indefinite plural sting, definite plural stinga)

  1. a stitch (in sewing and surgery)

References

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Old English

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Etymology

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From Proto-Germanic *stingaz; akin to stingan.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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sting m

  1. sting, stinging (of an animal)

Descendants

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Romanian

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Verb

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sting

  1. inflection of stinge:
    1. first-person singular present indicative/subjunctive
    2. third-person plural present indicative

Swedish

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Pronunciation

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Verb

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sting

  1. imperative of stinga

Anagrams

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