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Prickly vs Pricking - What's the difference?

prickly | pricking |

As an adjective prickly

is covered with sharp points.

As a verb pricking is

.

As a noun pricking is

the act of piercing or puncturing with a sharp point.

prickly

English

Adjective

(er)
  • Covered with sharp points.
    • Prickly pear is a cactus, you have to peel it before eating it to remove the spines and the tough skin.
  • Easily irritated.
    • He has a prickly personality. He doesn't get along with people because he is easily set off.
  • difficult, hairy, complicated

    • Synonyms

    * (covered with sharp points) thorny, spiny

    Derived terms

    * prickly comfrey * prickly glasswort * prickly heat * prickly saltwort * prickly sculpin * prickly shield fern * prickly tang

    pricking

    English

    Verb

    (head)

    • Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of piercing or puncturing with a sharp point.
  • * Bible, Proverbs xii. 18
    • There is that speaketh like the prickings of a sword.
  • A sensation that pricks.
    • the prickings of conscience
  • The driving of a nail into a horse's foot so as to produce lameness.
  • (mining) A nicking.
  • The mark or trace left by a hare's foot; a prick.
  • The act of tracing a hare by its footmarks.
  • (obsolete) Dressing oneself for show; prinking.
    • (Webster 1913)