stinging

Noun · Adjective

WordNet 3.0

Noun (1)

  1. a kind of pain; something as sudden and painful as being stung“the sting of death”“he felt the stinging of nettles”Synonyms: sting

Adjective (1)

  1. (of speech) harsh or hurtful in tone or character“cutting remarks”“edged satire”“a stinging comment”Synonyms: cuttingedged
Advertisement

Webster's Dictionary (GCIDE)

Stinging \Sting"ing\, a. Piercing, or capable of piercing, with a sting; inflicting acute pain as if with a sting, goad, or pointed weapon; pungent; biting; as, stinging cold; a stinging rebuke. -- Sting"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]

Stinging cell. (Zool.) Same as Lasso cell, under Lasso. [1913 Webster]


Sting \Sting\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Stung(Archaic Stang); p. pr. & vb. n. Stinging.] [AS. stingan; akin to Icel. & Sw. stinga, Dan. stinge, and probably to E. stick, v.t.; cf. Goth. usstiggan to put out, pluck out. Cf. Stick, v. t.]

1.To pierce or wound with a sting; as, bees will sting an animal that irritates them; the nettles stung his hands. [1913 Webster]

2.To pain acutely; as, the conscience is stung with remorse; to bite. "Slander stings the brave." --Pope. [1913 Webster]

3.To goad; to incite, as by taunts or reproaches. [1913 Webster]

Advertisement