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.

   Synonyms: stinger, stinger

4. A sharp, localized pain primarily on the epidermis.

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

   Synonyms: burn

5. biologyA 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.

   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]

7. governmentA 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.

   1 more example

   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

8. A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
9. A brief sequence of music used in films, TV, and video games as a form of scenic punctuation or to identify the broadcasting station.

   Synonyms: sounder

10. 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

11. figurativelyThe harmful or painful part of something.

    The ſting of death is ſinne, […]

    1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 15:56, column 1

    2 more examples

    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

12. 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

13. The concluding point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.

present singular third person stings · participle present stinging · past stung · dialectal past rare stang · participle past stung

1. ambitransitiveTo hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
2. transitiveTo puncture with the stinger.

   A mosquito stung me on the arm.

3. figurativelyintransitivesometimesTo hurt, to be in pain (physically or emotionally).

   My eyes are stinging from the chopped onions.

   4 more examples

   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.

   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

   Synonyms: smart

4. figurativelyTo cause harm or pain to.

   I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!

1. uncountableStorytelling in the context of a tabletop role-playing game, especially one published by White Wolf.

   Synonyms: Dungeon Mastering, DMing, GMing

1. gerundparticiplepresentpresent participle and gerund of ST