Sting Meaning
/ˈstɪŋ/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounA bump left on the skin after having been stung.
nounA puncture made by an insect or arachnid in an attack, usually including the injection of venom.
Sentence Examples
I got a nasty sting from a wasp.
Do those insects sting?
CEFR Practice Quiz
If you disturb the beehive, the worker bees will immediately ____ you.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I felt a sharp ____ on my arm and realized that I had been bitten by a small bee in the garden.
Word Origin & History
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.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"the lurking serpent's mortal sting"
— c. 1591–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Third Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene ii]:
"Shepard: I'm taking you in, Jax.
Turian Bodyguard: It's a sting. Bastard set us up.
Jax: What the hell are you playing at?"
— 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Citadel:
"The balance is mounted externally on top of the wind tunnel test section. A sting connects the balance to the model."
— 2001, T. J. Mueller, Fixed and Flapping Wing Aerodynamics for Micro Air Vehicle Applications, page 118:
"The ſting of death is ſinne, […]"
— 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, 1 Corinthians 15:56, column 1:
"Better is 20 R-R5, threatening 21 KR-R1. This action would compel exchanges and reduce the sting of Black's attack."
— 1962 September, I. A. Horowitz, “Readers' Games”, in Chess Review:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
If you disturb the beehive, the worker bees will immediately ____ you.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
I felt a sharp ____ on my arm and realized that I had been bitten by a small bee in the garden.