— pricker , n. — prickingly , adv.
/prik/ , n.
1. a puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.
2. a sharp point; prickle.
3. the act of pricking: the prick of a needle.
4. the state or sensation of being pricked.
5. a sharp pain caused by or as if by being pricked; twinge.
6. the pointed end of a prickspur.
7. Slang ( vulgar ).
a. penis.
b. an obnoxious or contemptible person.
8. Archaic. a goad for oxen.
9. Obs. a small or minute mark, a dot, or a point.
10. Obs. any pointed instrument or weapon.
11. kick against the pricks , to resist incontestable facts or authority; protest uselessly: In appealing the case again, you will just be kicking against the pricks.
v.t.
12. to pierce with a sharp point; puncture.
13. to affect with sharp pain, as from piercing.
14. to cause sharp mental pain to; sting, as with remorse, anger, etc.: His conscience pricked him.
15. to urge on with or as if with a goad or spur: My duty pricks me on.
16. to mark (a surface) with pricks or dots in tracing something.
17. to mark or trace (something) on a surface by pricks or dots.
18. to cause to stand erect or point upward (usually fol. by up ): The dog pricked his ears at the sound of the bell.
19. Farriery.
a. to lame (a horse) by driving a nail improperly into its hoof.
b. to nick: to prick a horse's tail.
20. to measure (distance, the size of an area, etc.) on a chart with dividers (usually fol. by off ).
21. Hort. to transplant (a seedling) into a container that provides more room for growth (usually fol. by out or off ).
v.i.
22. to perform the action of piercing or puncturing something.
23. to have a sensation of being pricked.
24. to spur or urge a horse on; ride rapidly.
25. to rise erect or point upward, as the ears of an animal (usually fol. by up ).
26. prick up one's ears , to become very alert; listen attentively: The reporter pricked up his ears at the prospect of a scoop.
[ bef. 1000; (n.) ME prike; OE prica, price dot, point; (v.) ME priken, OE prician; c. D, LG prik point ]