I. ˈstiŋ verb
( stung ˈstəŋ ; or archaic stang ˈstaŋ, -taiŋ ; stung ; stinging ; stings )
Etymology: Middle English stingen, from Old English stingan; akin to Old Norse stinga to sting, stab, Gothic us stangan to pluck out, Greek stachys spike of grain, stochos target, aim, guess
transitive verb
1.
a. : to pierce or wound with a poisonous or irritating process (as a stinger or stinging hair) especially so as to produce an inflammation or lesion
a great aching welt where a mosquito had stung him
specifically : to wound with an ovipositor (as in laying eggs)
destroy the fruit flies before they begin to sting the fruit — Farmer's Weekly (South Africa)
b. : to affect with quick sharp physical pain or smart
driving hail that stung their faces
ginger stings the mouth
smoke … began to sting his eyes — Frank Cameron
2.
a. : to cause to suffer sharp mental pain : pain keenly
sting him with a sharp reproach
had been stung by remorse
b. : to stir or incite by a sharp often painful stimulus : goad
attacks … sting him to a considerable rage — English Digest
his suffering … stung their consciences to action — Times Literary Supplement
3.
a. : to get the better of in a financial dealing : overcharge , cheat
never went again to the store that had stung him
b. slang : to compel to pay : submit a bill to : stick , charge
how much did he sting you for that — J.K.Ewers
intransitive verb
1. : to wound a person or thing with a sting
scorpions sting but snakes bite
an insult that stung and rankled
2. : to feel a keen burning pain or smart
a slap that made his hand sting
II. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English, from stingan, v.
1.
a. : the act of stinging ; specifically : the thrust of a stinger into the flesh
b. : a wound or pain caused by or as if by stinging
apply wet baking soda to the sting
crying from the sting of a cut
the sting of sarcasm
the quick sting of tears came to her eyes — Edna Ferber
2. : stinger 2
3. : something that causes a keen pain or stimulation of mind : a stinging element (as the point of an epigram), force, quality, or capacity
a smile that took the sting out of his rebuke
practice to put more sting into his bowling at cricket
4. : a thin rod used for mounting a model for testing in a wind tunnel
III. noun
: an elaborate confidence game ; specifically : such a game worked by undercover police in order to trap criminals