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.

Thrust vs Sting - What's the difference?

thrust | sting |

As nouns the difference between thrust and sting

is that thrust is (fencing) an attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point while sting is a bump left on the skin after having been stung.

As verbs the difference between thrust and sting

is that thrust is (lb) to make advance with while sting is to hurt, usually by introducing poison or a sharp point, or both.

thrust

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • (fencing) An attack made by moving the sword parallel to its length and landing with the point.
  • Pierre was a master swordsman, and could parry the thrusts of lesser men with barely a thought.
  • A push, stab, or lunge forward (the act thereof.)
  • The cutpurse tried to knock her satchel from her hands, but she avoided his thrust and yelled, "Thief!"
  • The force generated by propulsion, as in a jet engine.
  • Spacecraft are engineering marvels, designed to resist the thrust of liftoff, as well as the reverse pressure of the void.
  • (figuratively) The primary effort; the goal.
  • Ostensibly, the class was about public health in general, but the main thrust was really sex education.

    Synonyms

    * (push, stab, or lunge forward ): break, dart, grab * (force generated by propulsion ): lift, push * (primary effort or goal ): focus, gist, point

    Verb

  • (lb) To make advance with .
  • :
  • (lb) To something upon someone.
  • :
  • (lb) To push out or extend rapidly or powerfully.
  • :
  • *
  • *:Three chairs of the steamer type, all maimed, comprised the furniture of this roof-garden, withon one of the copings a row of four red clay flower-pots filled with sun-baked dust from which gnarled and rusty stalks thrust themselves up like withered elfin limbs.
  • (lb) To push or drive with force; to shove.
  • :
  • *(John Milton) (1608-1674)
  • *:Into a dungeon thrust , to work with slaves.
  • (lb) To enter by pushing; to squeeze in.
  • *(John Dryden) (1631-1700)
  • *:And thrust between my father and the god.
  • To stab; to pierce; usually with through .
  • Synonyms

    * (advance with force) attack, charge, rush * (force upon someone) compel, charge, force * (push out or extend rapidly and powerfully) dart, reach, stab

    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 ----