needle

[ need-l ]

/ ˈnid l /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR needle ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a small, slender, rodlike instrument, usually of polished steel, with a sharp point at one end and an eye or hole for thread at the other, for passing thread through cloth to make stitches in sewing.

any of various similar, usually considerably larger, implements for making stitches, as one for use in knitting or one hooked at the end for use in crocheting.

Medicine/Medical.

a slender, pointed, steel instrument used in sewing or piercing tissues, as in suturing.
hypodermic needle.

Informal. an injection of a drug or medicine; shot.

any of various objects resembling or suggesting a needle.

the tapered stylus at the end of a phonographic tonearm, used to transmit vibrations from a record groove to a transducer for conversion to audible signals.

Electricity. magnetic needle.

a pointed instrument, or stylus, used in engraving, etching, or the like.

Botany. a needle-shaped leaf, as of a conifer: a pine needle.

Zoology. a slender sharp spicule.

Chemistry, Mineralogy. a needlelike crystal.

a sharp-pointed mass or pinnacle of rock.

an obelisk or a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone: Cleopatra's Needle.

Also called needle beam. Building Trades. a short beam passed through a wall as a temporary support.

verb (used with object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle: to needle a patch on a sleeve.

Informal.

to prod or goad (someone) to a specified action: We needled her into going with us.
to tease: We needled him about his big ears.

Slang. to add alcohol or ether to (a beverage): to needle beer.

verb (used without object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

to form needles in crystallization.

to work with a needle.

Idioms for needle

on the needle, Slang. taking drugs by injection, especially habitually.

the needle, Informal. irritating abuse; teasing; heckling (used especially in the phrases give someone the needle and get the needle).

Origin of needle

before 900; 1880–85 for def 16; Middle English nedle, Old English nǣdl, cognate with German Nadel; akin to Latin nēre to spin

OTHER WORDS FROM needle

nee·dle·like, adjective

Words nearby needle

needed, needfire, needful, needham, neediness, needle, needle bath, needle bearing, needle biopsy, needle exchange, needle fly

Example sentences from the Web for needlelike

The edges of the joints are also fringed with needlelike thorns which are dangerous to handle.

The Fantastic Clan |John James Thornber
They are covered with needlelike thorns and their sting is extremely painful and annoying.

A Journey in Southeastern Mexico |Henry Howard Harper
Every one was healthily tired, though, and all the needlelike thrusts of the insects could not keep the girls awake.

Girl Scouts in the Rockies |Lillian Elizabeth Roy
The crystals are long and needlelike when it evaporates down.

I Walked in Arden |Jack Crawford

The usual ridges prevail and are armored with clustering radial spines of unequal length, very sharp and needlelike.

The Fantastic Clan |John James Thornber

British Dictionary definitions for needlelike

needle

/ (ˈniːdəl) /

noun

a pointed slender piece of metal, usually steel, with a hole or eye in it through which thread is passed for sewing

a somewhat larger rod with a point at one or each end, used in knitting

a similar instrument with a hook at one end for crocheting

another name for stylus (def. 3)
a small thin pointed device, esp one made of stainless steel, used to transmit the vibrations from a gramophone record to the pick-up

med

the long hollow pointed part of a hypodermic syringe, which is inserted into the body
an informal name for hypodermic syringe

surgery a pointed steel instrument, often curved, for suturing, puncturing, or ligating

a long narrow stiff leaf, esp of a conifer, in which water loss is greatly reduced pine needles

any slender sharp spine, such as the spine of a sea urchin

any slender pointer for indicating the reading on the scale of a measuring instrument

short for magnetic needle

a crystal resembling a needle in shape

a sharp pointed metal instrument used in engraving and etching

anything long and pointed, such as an obelisk a needle of light

a short horizontal beam passed through a wall and supported on vertical posts to take the load of the upper part of the wall

informal

anger or intense rivalry, esp in a sporting encounter
(as modifier)a needle match

get the needle or have the needle British informal to feel dislike, distaste, nervousness, or annoyance (for) she got the needle after he had refused her invitation

verb

(tr) informal to goad or provoke, as by constant criticism

(tr) to sew, embroider, or prick (fabric) with a needle

(tr) US to increase the alcoholic strength of (beer or other beverages)

(intr) (of a substance) to form needle-shaped crystals

Word Origin for needle

Old English nǣdl; related to Gothic nēthla, German Nadel

Medical definitions for needlelike

needle

[ nēd′l ]

n.

A slender, usually sharp-pointed instrument used for puncturing tissues, suturing, or passing a ligature around an artery.

A hollow, slender, sharp-pointed instrument used for injection or aspiration.

v.

To separate tissues by means of one or two needles in the dissection of small parts.

Scientific definitions for needlelike

needle

[ nēd′l ]

A narrow, stiff leaf, as of firs, pines, and other conifers. The reduced surface area of needles minimizes water loss and allows needle-bearing plants to live in dry climates. See more at leaf.

See hypodermic needle.

Idioms and Phrases with needlelike

needle

In addition to the idiom beginning with needle

needle in a haystack
needless to say

also see:

on pins and needles

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

needle

noun

verb (used with object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

verb (used without object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

Idioms for needle

Origin of needle

OTHER WORDS FROM needle

Words nearby needle

Example sentences from the Web for needlelike

British Dictionary definitions for needlelike

noun

verb

Word Origin for needle

Medical definitions for needlelike

n.

v.

Scientific definitions for needlelike

Idioms and Phrases with needlelike

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

needle

noun

verb (used with object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

verb (used without object), nee·dled, nee·dling.

Idioms for needle

Origin of needle

OTHER WORDS FROM needle

Words nearby needle

Words related to needlelike

Example sentences from the Web for needlelike

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for needlelike

noun

verb

Word Origin for needle

Medical definitions for needlelike

n.

v.

Scientific definitions for needlelike

Idioms and Phrases with needlelike

British Dictionary definitions for needlelike