NEEDLE


Meaning of NEEDLE in English

I. ˈnē-d ə l noun

Etymology: Middle English nedle, from Old English nǣdl; akin to Old High German nādala needle, nājan to sew, Latin nēre to spin, Greek nēn

Date: before 12th century

1.

a. : a small slender usually steel instrument that has an eye for thread or surgical sutures at one end and that is used for sewing

b. : any of various devices for carrying thread and making stitches (as in crocheting or knitting)

c.

(1) : a slender hollow instrument for introducing material into or removing material from the body (as by insertion under the skin)

(2) : any of various slender hollow devices used to introduce matter (as air) into or remove it from an object (as a ball)

2.

a. : a slender bar of magnetized steel that when allowed to turn freely (as in a compass) indicates the direction of a magnetic field (as of the earth)

b. : a slender usually sharp-pointed indicator on a dial

3.

a. : a slender pointed object resembling a needle: as

(1) : a pointed crystal

(2) : a sharp rock

(3) : obelisk

b. : a needle-shaped leaf (as of a conifer)

c. : a slender rod (as of jewel or steel) with a rounded tip used in a phonograph to transmit vibrations from a record : stylus

d. : a slender pointed rod controlling a fine inlet or outlet (as in a valve)

4. : a teasing or gibing remark

• nee·dle·like ˈnē-d ə l-ˌ(l)īk adjective

[

needle 1: 1 suture, 2 sewing, 3 knitting

]

II. verb

( nee·dled ; nee·dling ˈnēd-liŋ, ˈnē-d ə l-iŋ)

Date: circa 1715

transitive verb

1. : to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle

2.

a. : tease , torment

b. : to incite to action by repeated gibes

needled the boy into a fight

intransitive verb

: sew , embroider

• nee·dler ˈnēd-lər, ˈnē-d ə l-ər noun

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.