1. (p. pr. & vb. n.) of Sting.

2. (a.) Piercing, or capable of piercing, with a sting; inflicting acute pain as if with a sting, goad, or pointed weapon; pungent; biting; as, stinging cold; a stinging rebuke.

acanaceous acerb acerbate acerbic acid acidic acidulent acidulous acrid acrimonious aculeolate acute afflictive agonizing asperous astringent atrocious biting bitter brambly briery brisk bristly burn burning burning pain buzz caustic chafing corroding corrosive cramping cruel cutting distressing double-edged edged escharotic excruciating fierce fire fretting galling gnawing grating grave grinding griping hard harrowing harsh hurtful hurting incisive irritant irritating irritative keen mordacious mordant muricate nose-tickling painful paresthesia paroxysmal penetrating piercing pins and needles piquant poignant pricking prickle prickles prickling prickly pricky pungent racking rasping rigorous rough scathing scorching scratchy severe sharp shooting smart smarting sour spasmatic spasmic spasmodic stabbing sting strident stringent tart thistly thorny thrill tingle tingling tormenting torturous trenchant urtication vehement violent virulent vitriolic withering