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Sting vs String - What's the difference?

sting | string |

In botany terms the difference between sting and string

is that sting is a sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which secretes an acrid fluid, as in nettles while string is the tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericarp of leguminous plants.

In transitive terms the difference between sting and string

is that sting is to hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both while string is to put strings on (something).

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 ----

    string

    English

    Noun

  • (countable) A long, thin and flexible structure made from threads twisted together.
  • * Prior
  • Round Ormond's knee thou tiest the mystic string .
  • (uncountable) Such a structure considered as a substance.
  • (countable) Any similar long, thin and flexible object.
  • a violin string
    a bowstring
  • A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung or arranged in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things arranged on a thread, or as if so arranged.
  • a string''' of shells or beads; a '''string of sausages
  • * Gibbon
  • a string of islands
  • (countable) A cohesive substance taking the form of a string.
  • The string of spittle dangling from his chin was most unattractive
  • (countable) A series of items or events.
  • a string of successes
  • (countable, computing) An ordered sequence of text characters stored consecutively in memory and capable of being processed as a single entity.
  • (music, countable) A stringed instrument.
  • (music, usually in plural) The stringed instruments as a section of an orchestra, especially those played by a bow, or the persons playing those instruments.
  • (in the plural) The conditions and limitations in a contract collecively. (compare no strings attached)
  • no strings attached
  • (countable, physics) the main object of study in string theory, a branch of theoretical physics
  • (slang) cannabis or marijuana
  • A miniature game of billiards, where the order of the play is determined by testing who can get a ball closest to the bottom rail by shooting it onto the end rail.
  • The points made in a game of billiards.
  • A strip, as of leather, by which the covers of a book are held together.
  • (Milton)
  • A fibre, as of a plant; a little fibrous root.
  • * Francis Bacon
  • Duckweed putteth forth a little string into the water, from the bottom.
  • A nerve or tendon of an animal body.
  • * Bible, Mark vii. 35
  • The string of his tongue was loosed.
  • (shipbuilding) An inside range of ceiling planks, corresponding to the sheer strake on the outside and bolted to it.
  • (botany) The tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericarp of leguminous plants.
  • the strings of beans
  • (mining) A small, filamentous ramification of a metallic vein.
  • (Ure)
  • (architecture) A stringcourse.
  • Synonyms

    * See also

    Derived terms

    * score string * second string

    Synonyms

    * (long, thin structure): cord, rope, line * (this structure as a substance): cord, rope, twine * (anything long and thin): * (cohesive substance in the form of a string): * (series of items or events): sequence, series * (sequence of characters in computing): * (stringed instruments): string section the strings, or the string section * (conditions): conditions, provisos

    Descendants

    * Portuguese:

    Verb

  • To put (items) on a string.
  • You can string these beads on to this cord to make a colorful necklace.
  • To put strings on (something).
  • It is difficult to string a tennis racket properly.

    Synonyms

    * (put on a string): thread * (put strings on): lace

    Derived terms

    * cosmic string * heartstrings * string along * string band * string quartet * string up * string vest * stringy