sting

About 2.20 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. noun A bump left on the skin after having been stung.

   Look at this nasty hornet sting: it's turned blue!

2. noun A puncture made by an insect or arachnid in an attack, usually including the injection of venom.

   She died from a bee sting.

3. noun A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
4. noun A sharp, localized pain primarily on the epidermis.

   That plant will give a little sting if you touch it.

5. noun A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles.
6. noun The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.
7. noun 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.

8. noun A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.

Similar words

bite twinge prick pang burn hustle bunko gyp bunco con game

Often followed by

of in and out is the from to ray

Word family

stinging stingingly stings stung