Pricking

prick  (prk)

n.

1.

a. The act of piercing or pricking.

b. The sensation of being pierced or pricked.

2.

a. A persistent or sharply painful feeling of sorrow or remorse.

b. A small, sharp, local pain, such as that made by a needle or bee sting.

3. A small mark or puncture made by a pointed object.

4. A pointed object, such as an ice pick, goad, or thorn.

5. A hare's track or footprint.

6. Vulgar Slang A penis.

7. Vulgar Slang A person regarded as highly unpleasant, especially a male.

v. pricked, prick·ing, pricks

v.tr.

1. To puncture lightly.

2. To affect with a mental or emotional pang, as of sorrow or remorse: His conscience began to prick him.

3. To impel as if with a spur; urge on.

4. To mark or delineate on a surface by means of small punctures: prick a pattern on a board.

5. To pierce the quick of (a horse's hoof) while shoeing.

6. To transplant (seedlings, for example) before final planting.

7. To cause to stand erect or point upward: The dogs pricked their ears.

v.intr.

1. To pierce or puncture something or cause a pricking feeling.

2. To feel a pang or twinge from or as if from being pricked.

3.

a. To spur a horse on.

b. To ride at a gallop.

4. To stand erect; point upward: The dog's ears pricked at the noise.

Phrasal Verb:

prick off Nautical

To measure with dividers on a chart.

Idiom:

prick up (one's) ears

To listen with attentive interest.

---

[Middle English, from Old English prica, puncture.]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

pricking - the act of puncturing with a small point; "he gave the balloon a small prick" prick puncture - the act of puncturing or perforating