sting

noun

• 1a small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of bees, wasps, ants, and scorpions, capable of inflicting a painful or dangerous wound by injecting poison.
• any of a number of minute hairs or other organs of plants, jellyfishes, etc., that inject a poisonous or irritating fluid when touched.
• a wound from the sting of an insect or plant:a wasp or bee sting
• a sharp tingling or burning pain or sensation:I felt the sting of the cold, bitter air
• [in singular] a hurtful quality or effect:she smiled to take the sting out of her words

• 2 informal a carefully planned operation, typically one involving deception:five blackmailers were jailed last week after they were snared in a police sting

verb (past and past participle stung /stəNG/)

• 1 [with object] wound or pierce with a sting:he was stung by a jellyfish [no object]:a nettle stings if you brush it lightly

• 2feel or cause to feel a sharp tingling or burning pain or sensation: [no object]:her eyes stung [with object]:the brandy stung his throat (as adjective stinging)a stinging pain
• [with object] (typically of something said) hurt or upset (someone):stung by her mockery, Frank hung his head
• (sting someone into) provoke someone to do (something) by causing annoyance or offense:he was stung into action by an article in the paper

• 3 [with object] informal swindle or exorbitantly overcharge (someone):an elaborate fraud that stung a bank for thousands