Pronunciation: /ˈprɪk(ə)l/
noun
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a short pointed outgrowth on the bark or epidermis of a plant; a small thorn: the prickles of the gorse bushes
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a small spine or pointed outgrowth on the skin of certain animals.
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a tingling sensation on a person’s skin, typically caused by strong emotion: Kathleen felt a prickle of excitement
verb
[no object]-
(of a part of the body) experience a tingling sensation, especially as a result of strong emotion: the sound made her skin prickle with horror
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[with object] cause a tingling sensation in: I hate the way the fibres prickle your skin
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(of a person) react defensively or angrily to something: she prickled at the implication that she had led a protected life
