n. & v.
n. 1 a sharp often poisonous wounding organ of an insect, snake, nettle, etc. 2 a the act of inflicting a wound with this. b the wound itself or the pain caused by it. 3 a wounding or painful quality or effect (the sting of hunger; stings of remorse). 4 pungency, sharpness, vigour (a sting in the voice). 5 sl. a swindle or robbery.
v. (past and past part. stung) 1 a tr. wound or pierce with a sting. b intr. be able to sting; have a sting. 2 intr. & tr. feel or cause to feel a tingling physical or sharp mental pain. 3 tr. (foll. by into) incite by a strong or painful mental effect (was stung into replying). 4 tr. sl. swindle or charge exorbitantly. stinging-nettle a nettle, Urtica dioica, having stinging hairs. sting in the tail unexpected pain or difficulty at the end. stingingly adv. stingless adj. stinglike adj.
[ OE sting (n.), stingan (v.), f. Gmc ]