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Jab vs Needle - What's the difference?

jab | needle | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between jab and needle

is that jab is a quick stab or blow while needle is a long, thin, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections etc.

As verbs the difference between jab and needle

is that jab is to poke or thrust abruptly, or to make such a motion while needle is to pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.

jab

English

(wikipedia jab)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A quick stab or blow
  • (boxing) A short straight punch.
  • * '>citation
  • American Ward was too quick and too slick for his British rival, landing at will with razor sharp jabs and hooks and even bullying Froch at times.
  • (British) A medical injection.
  • Our dog was exposed to rabies, so the whole family went to a clinic to get our jabs .
  • (US, figurative) A verbal annoyance.
  • Derived terms

    * jabby

    Verb

    (jabb)
  • To poke or thrust abruptly, or to make such a motion.
  • To deliver a quick punch.
  • (slang, UK) To give someone an injection
  • needle

    English

    (wikipedia needle)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A long, thin, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections etc.
  • The seamstress threaded the needle to sew on a button.
  • Any slender, pointed object resembling a needle, such as a pointed crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.
  • A long, thin device for indicating measurements on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle .
  • The needle on the fuel gauge pointed to empty.
  • A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.
  • Ziggy bought some diamond needles for his hi-fi phonograph.
  • A long, pointed leaf found on some conifers.
  • * 1994 , , ch. 2:
  • At the very moment he cried out, David realised that what he had run into was only the Christmas tree. Disgusted with himself at such cowardice, he spat a needle from his mouth.
  • (informal, usually preceded by the) The death penalty carried out by lethal injection.
  • Derived terms

    * compass needle * knitting needle * needlenose * needlenose pliers * on pins and needles * move the needle * packing needle * pine needle * pins and needles * needle in a haystack * needlepunch * needle-sharp * needlewise

    See also

    * acerate * eye * pin

    Verb

    (needl)
  • To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.
  • * 1892 , H. Lindo Ferguson, "Operation on Microphthamlmic Eyes", Ophthalmic Review? , volume 11, page 48
  • the eyes were once more beginning to show the old nystagmus; so I decided to needle' the cataracts, and on Jan. 31 I ' needled the right eye.
  • * 2000 , Felix Mann, Reinventing Acupuncture , page 109
  • Possibly the greatest effect is achieved in the hand by needling the thumb, the index finger and the region of the 1st and 2nd metacarpal.
  • To tease in order to provoke; to poke fun at.
  • Billy needled his sister incessantly about her pimples.
  • * 1984 , Leopold Caligor, Philip M. Bromberg, & James D. Meltzer, Clinical Perspectives on the Supervision of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy? , page 14
  • FRED: Well, I teased her to some extent, or I needled' her, not teased her. I ' needled her about—first I said that she didn't want to work, and then I think that there were a couple of comments.
  • To form in the shape of a needle.
  • to needle crystals

    Synonyms

    * (to tease) goad, tease