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What is the difference between stinger and sting?

stinger | sting |

Sting is a synonym of stinger.



As nouns the difference between stinger and sting

is that stinger is a pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack while sting is a bump left on the skin after having been stung.

As a verb sting is

to hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.

stinger

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A pointed portion of an insect or arachnid used for attack.
  • Anything that is used to sting, as a means of attack.
  • * 1918 , (Edgar Rice Burroughs), Chapter IV
  • The thing stopped then and looked at me a moment as much as to say: "Why this thing has a stinger ! I must be careful." And then it reached out its long neck and opened its mighty jaws and grabbed for me; but I wasn't there.
  • Anything, such as an insult, that stings mentally or psychologically
  • a cocktail of brandy and
  • A device used by police and military forces consisting of a portable bed of nails to puncture car tires.
  • A minor neurological injury of the spine characterized by a shooting or stinging pain down one arm, followed by numbness and weakness.
  • A station identifier on television or radio played between shows.
  • A scene shown on films or television shows after the credits.
  • (slang) A nonlethal grenade using rubber instead of shrapnel, more commonly called a sting grenade.
  • (slang) A final note played at the end of a military march.
  • (slang, television and film) An extension cord.
  • Synonyms

    * (device used to puncture car tyres) spike strip

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    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 ----