Sting

Pronunciation: /stɪŋ/

Definitions of sting

noun a feeling of sharp emotional pain

Example Sentences

A1 The bee's sting hurt my arm.

A2 I got a sting from a jellyfish while swimming.

B1 The wasp's sting caused swelling and redness on my skin.

B2 The scorpion's sting can be very painful and dangerous.

C1 The sting of a hornet can cause severe allergic reactions.

C2 The sting of a box jellyfish is one of the most venomous in the world.

verb to cause a sharp pain or discomfort

Example Sentences

A1 Bees can sting if they feel threatened.

A2 The jellyfish's tentacles can sting swimmers.

B1 I accidentally touched a nettle plant and it stung me.

B2 The betrayal by his friend really stung him.

C1 Her harsh words really stung me, but I tried to brush it off.

C2 The criticism from the renowned author really stung, but I knew it would help me improve.

Examples of sting in a Sentence

formal The bee's sting can cause swelling and redness at the site of the injury.

informal Ouch! That bee sting really hurts!

slang I got stung by a wasp yesterday and it was so painful.

figurative The betrayal from her friend felt like a sting to her heart.

Grammatical Forms of sting

• past tense: stung
• plural: stings
• comparative: stinger
• superlative: stingiest
• present tense: sting
• future tense: will sting
• perfect tense: have stung
• continuous tense: is stinging
• singular: sting
• positive degree: sting
• infinitive: to sting
• gerund: stinging
• participle: stung

Origin and Evolution of sting

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'sting' originated from Old English 'stingan' which means to pierce or prick.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'sting' has retained its original meaning of a sharp, pointed organ used by insects to defend themselves or inflict pain. It has also evolved to be used metaphorically to describe a sharp or biting sensation, both physically and emotionally.