ENGLISH
REFERENCE

sting

v. · n.
US //ˈstɪŋ// UK //stˈɪŋ// sting
Irregular verb past stung past participle stung
  1. 1 to prick or wound (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to hurt you by pushing a sharp point or poison into your skin, like a bee or a nettle plant.

    to wound or pierce the skin with a sharp-pointed organ, typically involving the injection of venom or an irritant.

    Example

    Be careful not to touch those plants because they will sting your hands.

    Example

    The jellyfish tentacles are designed to sting prey on contact, delivering a potent toxin that causes immediate paralysis.

    Usage

    Often used in the passive voice when referring to insects.
  2. 2 to feel sharp pain (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to feel a sharp, burning pain in your body or your feelings.

    to experience or cause a sharp, localized, burning sensation, either physically or emotionally.

    Example

    My eyes began to sting because of the smoke from the campfire.

    Example

    His harsh criticism continued to sting long after the meeting had ended, damaging his confidence for the rest of the week.
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  1. 3 the wound or pain (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the small, painful bump or the sharp feeling left after being stung.

    the localized pain or the physical mark resulting from the act of stinging.

    Example

    She put some cream on the bee sting to stop the itching.

    Example

    The initial sting of the antiseptic was brief, but it was necessary to prevent the wound from becoming infected.
  2. 4 police trap (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal Law

    a clever plan by the police to catch criminals by pretending to be part of a crime.

    a deceptive operation designed to catch a person committing a crime by using an undercover agent as a victim or accomplice.

    Example

    The police caught the thieves during a sting operation at the warehouse.

    Example

    Federal agents spent six months coordinating the sting, eventually arresting several high-profile figures involved in the smuggling ring.
  3. 5 TV/radio music (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Music

    a very short piece of music used in a TV show or film to separate scenes.

    a brief musical phrase or sound effect used in broadcasting to punctuate a scene or identify a station.

    Example

    The news program always starts with a dramatic musical sting.

    Example

    The sound designer inserted a sharp orchestral sting to emphasize the protagonist's sudden realization during the climax of the scene.
  4. 6 the stinger (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    the sharp part of an insect used to attack.

    the sharp-pointed organ of an insect or arachnid used for defense or attack.

    Example

    When a honeybee attacks, its sting often gets left behind in the skin.

    Example

    The biologist examined the wasp's sting under a microscope to study the mechanism of venom delivery.
Etymology 1

From Middle English styng, sting, stynge, stenge, from Old English sting, stincg (“a sting, stab, thrust made with a pointed instrument; the wound made by a stab or sting”), from Proto-Germanic stingaz; possibly also from Old English stynġ, from Proto-Germanic stungiz.

Etymology 2

From Middle English stingen, from Old English stingan, from Proto-Germanic *stinganą. Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.

Word family

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