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.
Meanings
A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
Look at this nasty hornet sting: it's turned blue!
A puncture made by an insect or arachnid in an attack, usually including the injection of venom.
She died from a bee sting.
A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
A sharp, localized pain primarily on the epidermis.
That plant will give a little sting if you touch it.
A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles.
The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.
the lurking serpent's mortal sting c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
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? 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
A brief sequence of music used in films, TV, and video games as a form of scenic punctuation or to identify the broadcasting station.
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. 2001, T. J. Mueller, Fixed and Flapping Wing Aerodynamics for Micro Air Vehicle Applications, page 118:
(figuratively) The harmful or painful part of something.
Better is 20 R-R5, threatening 21 KR-R1. This action would compel exchanges and reduce the sting of Black's attack. 1962 September, I. A. Horowitz, “Readers' Games”, in Chess Review:
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. 2011 January 19, Jonathan Stevenson, “Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal”, in BBC:
The ſting of death is ſinne, […] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 15:56, column 1:
A goad; incitement.
O most potential love! vow, bond, nor space, / In thee hath neither sting, knot, nor confine 1609, William Shakespeare, “A Louers Complaint”, in Shake-speares Sonnets. […], London: By G[eorge] Eld for T[homas] T[horpe] and are to be sold by William Aspley, →OCLC:
The concluding point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
fi pisto (thrust of a sting into the flesh) · he עֲקִיצָה (puncture) · no stikk (puncture) · fi pisto (bump on skin) · bg ожилване (bump on skin) · ms sengatan (puncture) · hu csípés (puncture) · cmn 叮咬 (puncture) · af steekplek (bump on skin) · sq pickim (bump on skin) · fi poltinkarva (stinging hair of a plant) · it escrescenza (bump on skin) · fi soluttautuminen (police operation) · de Stich (puncture) · vo näsäkastegül (puncture) · it gonfiore (bump on skin) · ja 刺し傷 (bump on skin) · grc δῆγμα (puncture) · hi डंक (bump on skin) · vo flibastegül (puncture) · fr piqûre (puncture) · ja 虫さされ (puncture) · hi दंश (bump on skin) · te కుట్టు (sharp, localised pain in epidermis) · ca fiblada (bump on skin) · it puntura (puncture) · de Stich (bump on skin) · th กัด (puncture) · de Insektenbiss (puncture) · ru укус (bump on skin) · hu csípés (bump on skin) · cy blew pigog (stinging hair of a plant) · fi purema (puncture) · de Bienenstich (puncture) · eo piko (puncture) · es punzada (sharp, localised pain in epidermis) · bg ожилване (puncture) · it bozzo (bump on skin) · af steek (puncture) · vo (scorpion) skorpionastegül (puncture) · ja 刺傷 (bump on skin) · de (scorpion) Skorpionstich (puncture) · it protuberanza (bump on skin) · ro înțepătură (puncture) · es picadura (bump on skin) · fi koukku (harmful or painful part of something) · th ต่อย (puncture) · fi purema (bump on skin) · fi pisto (puncture) · ga cealg (puncture) · cs bodnutí (puncture) · te కుట్టు (puncture) · de verdeckte Operation (police operation) · cs píchnutí (puncture) · grc δῆγμα (bump on skin) · pl użądlenie (puncture) · pl ukąszenie (bump on skin) · af prik (sharp, localised pain in epidermis) · izh panekki (puncture) · pl ukąszenie (puncture) · pt picada (puncture) · cs bodnutí (bump on skin) · pt ferroada (puncture) · cs zátah (police operation) · ja 虫刺され (puncture) · es trampa (police operation) · ru уку́с насеко́мого (puncture) · ja 囮捜査 (police operation) · fr piqûre (bump on skin) · it rigonfiamento (bump on skin) · tr sokma (puncture) · cy pigiad (bump on skin) · hy խայթոց (puncture) · cs léčka (police operation) · vo bienastegül (puncture) · no stikk (bump on skin) · cy pigiad (puncture) · de Biss (puncture) · de Insektenstich (puncture) · es picadura (puncture) · sq thumim (gheg) (bump on skin) · fi piikki (concluding point of a sarcastic saying) · de Wespenstich (puncture) · ca picada (bump on skin) · fi pisto (sharp, localised pain in epidermis) · hi डंक (puncture) · vo stegül (puncture) · es operación encubierta (police operation) · fa گزش (puncture) · cs píchnutí (bump on skin)
sting en · VERB · etymology 2
Pronunciation
/ˈstɪŋɡ/ (Midlands, Northern-England) without the NG-coalescence
From Middle English stingen, from Old English stingan, from Proto-Germanic *stinganą. Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.
Meanings
(ambitransitive) To hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
(of an insect or arachnid, transitive) To puncture with the stinger.
A mosquito stung me on the arm.
(figuratively, intransitive, sometimes) To hurt, to be in pain (physically or emotionally).
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. 2011 January 11, Jonathan Stevenson, “West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham”, in BBC:
While the absence of replayable story missions certainly stings for many fans, Halo Infinite’s campaign still has plenty to offer. 2021 December 11, Julian Young, “Halo Infinite players will soon be able to replay campaign missions”, in Dexerto:
My hand stings after knocking on the door so long.
My eyes are stinging from the chopped onions.
(figuratively) To cause harm or pain to.
I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!
mwl aferronar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · wa hagnî (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · te కుట్టు (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ru ужа́лить (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pt morder (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl ukąsić (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ja 食う (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · gl aferretar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ms sengat (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sq pickoj (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · arz قرص (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · uk жа́лити (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ota صوقمق (to hurt) · ca picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cmn 叮 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vi chích (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · la īcō (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · wa piker (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · tr sokmak (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · oc picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl żądlić (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · el τσιμπάω (to hurt) · gl aferretar (to hurt) · de stechen (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · lld sponje (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sk bodnúť (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ar لَسَعَ (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ota صوقمق (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mk боцнува (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · th ต่อย (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sh ùbosti (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ba сағыу (to hurt) · vec ponxer (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl użądlić (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · fi purra (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · fa گزیدن (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sv stinga (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sq pickoj (to hurt) · cs kousnout (to hurt) · pt ferroar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cmn 刺 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ru причиня́ть боль (to hurt) · uk укуси́ти (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vi đốt (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · es arder (to hurt) · mk боцне (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · bts sorod (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · uk куса́ти (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · eo piki (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ko 쏘다 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · be джа́ліць (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mi kakati (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sl pičiti (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ary قرص (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · fi pistää (to hurt) · vo stegülön (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · be джгаць (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ga cealg (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ckb پێوەدان (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · hu csíp (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · de stechen (to hurt) · uk ужа́лити (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl żądlić (to hurt) · es pinchar (to hurt) · eo piki (to hurt) · el κεντρίζω (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ko 물다 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sh ubádati (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · tl kinagat (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sh у̀бости (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ko 찌르다 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ary عض (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · lv dzelt (to hurt) · ru укуси́ть (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mwl picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mwl ferronar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · egy p:z-H-bH-A2 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ja 刺す (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl użądlić (to hurt) · fur spongi (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · grc κεντέω (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · es aguijonear (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cs bodnout (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cs bodnout (to hurt) · sq n'ze (gheg) (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · tl nasakitan (to hurt) · es aguijar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · lv dzelt (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ceb gipaak (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cs píchnout (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pl kąsać (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · gl picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · af steek (to hurt) · la pungō (to hurt) · ru боле́ть (to hurt) · uk жига́ти (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vec ponzer (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ro împunge (to hurt) · lld sponjer (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · be куса́ць (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ru чу́вствовать боль (to hurt) · fi pistää (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ar طَعَنَ (to hurt) · vec spunciar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cmn 蜇 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mi nanamu (to hurt) · qu kaniy (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · it pungere (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · mi wero (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ba сағыу (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · kxd sangat (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · izh pistää (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ceb napaak (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ro înțepa (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vec ponzar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · no stikke (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · om hidduu (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sh уба́дати (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ru куса́ть (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · es picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ml കുത്തുക (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · bg жиля (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · el τσιμπάω (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vec sponzer (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · uk джигну́ти (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · sv sticka (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · fur sponzi (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ru испы́тывать боль (to hurt) · fi purra (to hurt) · cmn 刺痛 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · pt picar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · qu wach'iy (to hurt) · sk pichnúť (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · hi डसना (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · nrf pitchi (to hurt) · cmn 螫 (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ca fiblar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · lt gelti (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · cs píchnout (to hurt) · ru жа́лить (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · th กัด (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · es picar (to hurt) · fr piquer (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · af steek (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · hy խայթել (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · vec ponxar (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · tr ısırmak (to hurt) · hu szúr (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · hy կծել (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · ro pișca (of an insect or arachnid: to puncture with the stinger) · tr sokmak (to hurt)