n. 25B6; noun
a bee sting : PRICK, wound, injury, puncture.
this cream will take the sting away : SMART, pricking; pain, soreness, hurt, irritation.
the sting of his betrayal : HEARTACHE, heartbreak, agony, torture, torment, hurt, pain, anguish.
there was a sting in her words : SHARPNESS, severity, bite, edge, pointedness, asperity; sarcasm, acrimony, malice, spite, venom.
(informal) the victim of a sting : SWINDLE, fraud, deception; trickery, sharp practice; informal rip-off, con, con trick, fiddle; N. Amer. informal bunco.
25B6; verb
she was stung by a scorpion : PRICK, wound; poison.
the smoke made her eyes sting : SMART, burn, hurt, be irritated, be sore.
the criticism stung her : UPSET, wound, cut to the quick, sear, grieve, hurt, pain, torment, mortify.
he was stung into action : PROVOKE, goad, incite, spur, prick, prod, rouse, drive, galvanize.
(informal) they stung a bank for thousands : SWINDLE, defraud, cheat, fleece, gull; informal rip off, screw, shaft, bilk, do, rook, diddle, take for a ride, skin; N. Amer. informal chisel, gouge; Brit. informal, dated rush.
deter.