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Sting   /stɪŋ/   Listen
noun
Sting  n.  
1.
(Zool.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang of a serpent.
2.
(Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid is pressed into it.
3.
Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the stings of remorse; the stings of reproach. "The sting of death is sin."
4.
The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging. "The lurking serpent's mortal sting."
5.
A goad; incitement.
6.
The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
Sting moth (Zool.), an Australian moth (Doratifera vulnerans) whose larva is armed, at each end of the body, with four tubercles bearing powerful stinging organs.
Sting ray. (Zool.) See under 6th Ray.
Sting winkle (Zool.), a spinose marine univalve shell of the genus Murex, as the European species (Murex erinaceus).



verb
Sting  v. t.  (past stang; past part. stung; pres. part. stinging)  
1.
To pierce or wound with a sting; as, bees will sting an animal that irritates them; the nettles stung his hands.
2.
To pain acutely; as, the conscience is stung with remorse; to bite. "Slander stings the brave."
3.
To goad; to incite, as by taunts or reproaches.






Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48








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"Sting" Quotes from Famous Books



... turn. It was with joy almost fierce he discovered what he thought to be proof that the subaltern was no saint, and, never stopping to give his better nature time to rise and rebuke him, he had summoned Janet. It was to sting Blakely, more than to punish the girl, he had ordered Natzie to the guard-room. Then, as the hours wore on and he realized how contemptible had been his conduct, the sense of shame well-nigh crushed him, and though ...
— An Apache Princess - A Tale of the Indian Frontier • Charles King

... so long as the sun was in the heavens. Many times the hearts of the two women stood still when they saw him climb to the highest point of the scaffolding in order to direct the work from there. Fate had only to make his foot slip one little inch or decree that a wasp should sting him on the finger to put an end to his existence. The poor mother was doubly anxious because he seemed so unconscious of the risk he ran up there and looked about him even more boldly ...
— Uarda • Georg Ebers

... went through his five years of married life, trying to recollect every detail month by month, day by day, and every disquieting circumstance that he remembered stung him to the quick like a wasp's sting. ...
— The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Volume II (of 8) • Guy de Maupassant

... don't do anything." Was that what Mary thought of her? Did others think the same? Was that the character she had earned? The words rang in her ears, the mortification bit deep. It was hateful to be so spoken to by a little ignorant country servant; but the sharpest sting lay in the knowledge that Mary was right. No one knew, and Audrey would not have liked anyone to know how she loathed doing the things that she blamed others ...
— Anxious Audrey • Mabel Quiller-Couch

... cracked, but it was in the Wolf's hand. Porky felt a sting as the bullet grazed his shoulder. Then Hen's weapon ...
— The Boy Scouts on a Submarine • Captain John Blaine


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