sting

I UK [stɪŋ] / US verb
Word forms "sting":
present tense I/you/we/they sting he/she/it stings present participle stinging past tense stung UK [stʌŋ] / US past participle stung
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1)

a) [intransitive/transitive] if an insect or an animal stings you, it hurts you by sticking a sharp part of its body into your skin

He was stung by a wasp.

Some types of spider can sting.

b) if a plant stings you, it makes a mark on your skin and hurts you when you touch it

2) [intransitive/transitive] to have or cause a sudden pain or uncomfortable feeling

My eyes were stinging with the salt in the water.

The smoke stung her eyes.

3)

a) [transitive] to affect someone, often causing them to react in a particular way

Stung by their recent defeat, the French are determined to win this time.

b) to make someone feel angry and upset

She was stung by her father's criticism.

4) [transitive] literary if tears sting your eyes, you feel as if you are going to cry

5) [intransitive] informal to make someone pay more than they should for something

be stung for something:

I was stung twenty quid for this CD.

6) [intransitive] British informal to borrow money from someone when they do not really want to give it to you

How much did he sting you for this time?

II UK [stɪŋ] / US noun [countable]
Word forms "sting":
singular sting plural stings

1)

a) the pain that you feel when an insect, animal, or plant stings you, or the mark on your body where this happens

He had a nasty wasp sting on his leg.

How do you treat bee stings?

b) British the sharp part of an insect's or animal's body that it can push into your skin

2) a sudden pain or uncomfortable feeling

She felt the sting of tears in her eyes.

3) informal a trick prepared by the police to catch criminals

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- a sting in the tail

- take the sting out of something