What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Sting vs Itch - What's the difference?

sting | itch |

In transitive terms the difference between sting and itch

is that sting is to hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both while itch is to cause to feel an itch.

sting

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A bump left on the skin after having been stung.
  • A bite by an insect.
  • A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
  • A sharp, localised pain primarily on the epidermis
  • (botany) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles.
  • The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging; a wound inflicted by stinging.
  • * Shakespeare
    • the lurking serpent's mortal sting
  • (law enforcement) A police operation in which the police pretend to be criminals in order to catch a criminal.
  • A short percussive phrase played by a drummer to accent the punchline in a comedy show.
  • A brief sequence of music used in films, TV as a form of punctuation in a dramatic or comedic scene. In certain videogames stings are used to predict immediate future actions or to illustrate a current tension or mood.
  • A support for a wind tunnel model which extends parallel to the air flow.
  • *
  • (figurative) The harmful or painful part of something.
  • * Bible, 1 Corinthians xv. 56
    • The sting of death is sin.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 19 , author=Jonathan Stevenson , title=Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=Just as it appeared Arsenal had taken the sting out of the tie, Johnson produced a moment of outrageous quality, thundering a bullet of a left foot shot out of the blue and into the top left-hand corner of Wojciech Szczesny's net with the Pole grasping at thin air. }}
  • A goad; incitement.
    • (Shakespeare)
  • The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
    • Synonyms
    * (pointed portion of an insect) stinger

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) stingen, from (etyl) . Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.

    Verb

  • To hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
    • Right so came out an adder of a little heathbush, and it stung a knight in the foot.
    Still, it stung when a slightly older acquaintance asked me why I couldn't do any better.
  • (of an insect) To bite.
  • (sometimes figurative) To hurt, to be in pain.
    • My hand stings after knocking on the door so long.
  • * {{quote-news
    • , year=2011 , date=January 11 , author=Jonathan Stevenson , title=West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham , work=BBC citation , page= , passage=But Birmingham were clearly stung by some harsh words from manager Alex McLeish at the break and within 15 minutes of the restart the game had an entirely different complexion.}}
  • (figurative) To cause harm or pain to.
    • I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!
    Derived terms
    * sting like a bee * stingy

    Anagrams

    * English irregular verbs ----

    itch

    English

    (wikipedia itch)

    Alternative forms

    * (noun) (l), (l), (l) (in Scotland)

    Noun

    (es)
  • A sensation felt on an area of the skin that causes a person or animal to want to scratch.
  • A desire or want.
  • *

    • Derived terms

    * barber's itch * itchy * jock itch * seven-year itch

    Verb

    (es)
  • To feel itchy; to feel a need to be scratched.
  • *
    • Capulet: ... Speak not, reply not, do not answer me; / My fingers itch . Wife, we scarce thought us blest / That God had lent us but this only child; / But now I see this one is one too much, / And that we have a curse in having her: / Out on her, hilding!
  • To want or desire.
    • He started learning to drive and he has been itching for opportunities to practice ever since.
  • To cause to feel an itch.
  • (colloquial) To scratch or rub so as to relieve an itch.
  • * 2002 , M D Huddleston, Missing Paige :
    • "What makes you suspect him?" Max asked as he itched his neck.
  • * 2002 January 4, "Cyd" (username), Itching'', in alt.support.mult-sclerosis, ''Usenet :
    • I have to take both shoes and socks off! If I go bare foot I'm ok! I also get itching on my r/palm of my hand. I itch it so much that it's raw!
  • * 2003 November 21, "Jim Patterson" (username), Behavior Therapy for Itchy Clothes?'', in alt.support.ocd, ''Usenet :
    • Basically I go through a half hour of trying to figure out of it is an fake OCD itch or a regular itch before I itch it (if I determine it's a "fake" itch, then I try not to itch it).
  • * 2003 , Ray Emerson, The Riddle of Cthulhu :
    • Ulysses thumped his side and itched his back side, then slipped into his car.
  • * 2004 , Philip Smucker, Al Qaeda's Great Escape: The Military and the Media on Terror's Trail :
    • But when we asked more about the famous man whose specter still commanded the heights, the guard just sneered at me, pointed his gun back toward the road with one hand, and itched his chin with the other.

    Derived terms

    * make one's teeth itch

    Anagrams

    * *