stinging

Word Origin & History

Old English stingan "to prick with a small point" (of weapons, insects, plants, etc.), from Proto-Germanic *stenganan (cf. Old Norse stinga, Old High German stungen "to prick," Gothic us-stagg "to prick out," Old High German stanga, German stange "pole, perch," German stengel "stalk, stem"), from PIE *stengh-, nasalized form of root *stegh- "to prick, sting" (cf. Old English stagga "stag," Greek stokhos "pointed stake"). Specialized to insects late 15c. Slang meaning "to cheat, swindle" is from 1812.

Example Sentences forstinging

The stinging air bit my nostrils and drove my hands into my pockets.

It floated everywhere, and Dick felt it stinging his mouth and throat.

His mouth was full of something that burned, a liquid hot, acrid, and stinging.

For which prevision he was rewarded with a stinging smack on the head.

This was my aunt's stinging epithet for me in moments of anger.

The early July days were cloudless and full of hot, stinging noises.

This was said rather loudly, and probably with the intention of stinging me.

Its pitiless words flailed him unceasingly with their stinging taunts.

Sweat soaking his shirt, rivering down his face, stinging his eyes.

Then off they fly—a whole swarm of singing, stinging mosquitoes.

stinging

bitter

caustic

cold

coldest

cutting

intense

knifelike

lancinating

stinging

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