Sting vs Stab - What's the difference?
sting | stab |
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
(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
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=January 19
, author=Jonathan Stevenson
, title=Leeds 1 - 3 Arsenal
, work=BBC
A goad; incitement.
The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
To hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.
(of an insect) To bite.
(sometimes figurative) To hurt, to be in pain.
* {{quote-news
, year=2011
, date=January 11
, author=Jonathan Stevenson
, title=West Ham 2 - 1 Birmingham
, work=BBC
(figurative) To cause harm or pain to.
An act of stabbing or thrusting with an object.
A wound made by stabbing.
Pain inflicted on a person's feelings.
(informal) An attempt.
Criticism.
(music) A single staccato chord that adds dramatic impact to a composition.
To pierce or to wound (somebody) with a pointed tool or weapon, especially a knife or dagger.
* {{quote-book, year=1905, author=
, title=
, chapter=1 To thrust in a stabbing motion.
To recklessly hit with the tip of a pointed object, such as a weapon or finger .
* (John Dryden)
To cause a sharp, painful sensation .
(figurative) To injure secretly or by malicious falsehood or slander.
In transitive terms the difference between sting and stab
is that sting is to hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both while stab is to thrust in a stabbing motion.sting
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- the lurking serpent's mortal sting
- The sting of death is sin.
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. }}
- (Shakespeare)
Synonyms
* (pointed portion of an insect) stingerEtymology 2
From (etyl) stingen, from (etyl) . Compare Swedish and Icelandic stinga.Verb
- 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.
- My hand stings after knocking on the door so long.
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.}}
- I thought I could park in front of the hotel, but they stung me for five pounds!
Derived terms
* sting like a bee * stingyAnagrams
* English irregular verbs ----stab
English
(wikipedia stab)Noun
(en noun)- I'll give this thankless task a stab .
- a horn stab
Derived terms
* have a stab at, take a stab at * stabbing * stabby * stab vest * stab in the dark * stab in the backVerb
(stabb)citation, passage=“There the cause of death was soon ascertained?; the victim of this daring outrage had been stabbed to death from ear to ear with a long, sharp instrument, in shape like an antique stiletto, which […] was subsequently found under the cushions of the hansom. […]”}}
- None shall dare / With shortened sword to stab in closer war.