pricking

[ prik-ing ]

/ ˈprɪk ɪŋ /

noun

the act of a person or thing that pricks.

a prickly or smarting sensation.

Origin of pricking

before 1000; Middle English; Old English pricung; see prick, -ing¹

Words nearby pricking

prick up one's ears, prick-eared, prick-post, pricker, pricket, pricking, prickle, prickle cell, prickle cell layer, prickleback, prickly

Definition for pricking (2 of 2)

prick

[ prik ]

/ prɪk /

noun

a puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.

a sharp point; prickle.

the act of pricking: the prick of a needle.

the state or sensation of being pricked.

a sharp pain caused by or as if by being pricked; twinge.

the pointed end of a prickspur.

Slang: Vulgar.

penis.
an obnoxious or contemptible person.

Archaic. a goad for oxen.

Obsolete. a small or minute mark, a dot, or a point.

Obsolete. any pointed instrument or weapon.

verb (used with object)

to pierce with a sharp point; puncture.

to affect with sharp pain, as from piercing.

to cause sharp mental pain to; sting, as with remorse, anger, etc.: His conscience pricked him.

to urge on with or as if with a goad or spur: My duty pricks me on.

to mark (a surface) with pricks or dots in tracing something.

to mark or trace (something) on a surface by pricks or dots.

to cause to stand erect or point upward (usually followed by up): The dog pricked his ears at the sound of the bell.

Farriery.

to lame (a horse) by driving a nail improperly into its hoof.
to nick: to prick a horse's tail.

to measure (distance, the size of an area, etc.) on a chart with dividers (usually followed by off).

Horticulture. to transplant (a seedling) into a container that provides more room for growth (usually followed by out or off).

verb (used without object)

to perform the action of piercing or puncturing something.

to have a sensation of being pricked.

to spur or urge a horse on; ride rapidly.

to rise erect or point upward, as the ears of an animal (usually followed by up).

Origin of prick

before 1000; (noun) Middle English prike; Old English prica, price dot, point; (v.) Middle English priken, Old English prician; cognate with Dutch, Low German prik point

OTHER WORDS FROM prick

prick·er, noun prick·ing·ly, adverb un·pricked, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for pricking

He started playing with the fork again, pricking his thumb against its end.

The Fourth War: My Lunch with a Jihadi |Elliot Ackerman |January 21, 2014 |DAILY BEAST
Fact is, my ears have been pricking up all morning to hear the old bull-whips crack.

The Lions of the Lord |Harry Leon Wilson
"As you please, Monseigneur," answered Modernus, pricking his mount.

The Miracle Of The Great St. Nicolas |Anatole France
He could not resist the temptation of stealing across the reeds to Mysa and pricking him with the point of his knife.

The Second Jungle Book |Rudyard Kipling

The pricking out of seedlings in pots in the propagating pit is effected in a similar way.

Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 13, Slice 7 |Various
“By the pricking of my thumbs, something evil this way comes,” exclaimed Carstairs.

The Cruise of the Frolic |W.H.G. Kingston

British Dictionary definitions for pricking

prick

/ (prɪk) /

verb (mainly tr)

to make (a small hole) in (something) by piercing lightly with a sharp point
to wound in this manner

(intr) to cause or have a piercing or stinging sensation

to cause to feel a sharp emotional pain knowledge of such poverty pricked his conscience

to puncture or pierce

to mark, delineate, or outline by dots or punctures

(also intr usually foll by up) to rise or raise erect; point the dog pricked his ears up at his master's call

(usually foll by out or off) to transplant (seedlings) into a larger container

(often foll by off) nautical to measure or trace (a course, distance, etc) on a chart with dividers

archaic to rouse or impel; urge on

(intr) archaic to ride fast on horseback; spur a horse on

prick up one's ears to start to listen attentively; become interested

noun

the act of pricking or the condition or sensation of being pricked

a mark made by a sharp point; puncture

a sharp emotional pain resembling the physical pain caused by being pricked a prick of conscience

a taboo slang word for penis

slang, derogatory an obnoxious or despicable man

an instrument or weapon with a sharp point, such as a thorn, goad, bee sting, etc

the footprint or track of an animal, esp a hare

obsolete a small mark caused by pricking a surface; dot; point

kick against the pricks to hurt oneself by struggling against something in vain

Word Origin for prick

Old English prica point, puncture; related to Dutch prik, Icelandic prik short stick, Swedish prick point, stick

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pricking

noun

Origin of pricking

Words nearby pricking

Definition for pricking (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of prick

OTHER WORDS FROM prick

Example sentences from the Web for pricking

British Dictionary definitions for pricking

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Word Origin for prick

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

pricking

noun

Origin of pricking

Words nearby pricking

Definition for pricking (2 of 2)

noun

verb (used with object)

verb (used without object)

Origin of prick

OTHER WORDS FROM prick

Words related to pricking

Example sentences from the Web for pricking

British Dictionary definitions for pricking

verb (mainly tr)

noun

Word Origin for prick