1. (v. t.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion. The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang of a serpent.

2. (n.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid is pressed into it.

3. (v. t.) Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the stings of remorse; the stings of reproach.

4. (n.) The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.

5. (n.) A goad; incitement.

6. (n.) The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.

7. (v. t.) To pierce or wound with a sting; as, bees will sting an animal that irritates them; the nettles stung his hands.

8. (v. t.) To pain acutely; as, the conscience is stung with remorse; to bite.

9. (v. t.) To goad; to incite, as by taunts or reproaches.

acerbity acidity acridity acrimony aculeus acuminate acumination affect afflict affront aggrieve agonize ail anguish astringency auger barb the dart be keen beat beesting beguile of bilk bit bite bite the tongue bitterness bleed bleed white borer bristle with bruise bunco burn burning burning pain buzz causticity chafe cheat chisel chouse chouse out of clip cog cog the dice come home to con convulse cozen crib crucify cusp cut cut up dart defraud diddle distress do in do out of drill edge euchre excruciate exploit fang fester fierceness finagle fire flam fleece flimflam flog fob fret fudge gad gadfly gall give offense give pain give umbrage gnaw go deep go through one goad gouge grate grieve grind grip gripe gull gyp harrow harshness have have an edge hocus hocus-pocus hold up hurt hurt the feelings inflame inflict pain injure irritate itch keenness kill by inches lacerate lash martyr martyrize melt melt the heart mordacity mordancy move mucro mulct neb needle nettle nib nip nudge offend outrage overcharge overprice overtax oxgoad pack the deal pain paresthesia penetrate pierce pigeon pinch pins and needles poignancy point poke practice fraud upon prick prickle prickles prickling prod profiteer prolong the agony put to torture rack rankle rasp rigor rip off rob rook roughness rowel rub scam scratch screw sell gold bricks severity sharpness shave shortchange skin smart smarting snakebite soak soften spur stab stack the cards stick stimulate stinger stinging stir stridency stringency surcharge swindle take a dive tang tartness teeth thimblerig thrill throw a fight tingle tingling tip torment torture touch touch a chord trenchancy tweak twist twist the knife urtication vehemence victimize violence virulence whip whiplash wound wring