sting

If an insect or animal does this, it pushes a sharp body part into you and releases poison.

• A wasp stung my hand.
• Do these jellyfish sting?
• Bees may sting if you disturb their nest.

How to use it: sting someone on something (A bee stung her on the neck.)

Common phrases: sting someone, sting your hand, bee can sting

To feel a sharp or burning pain, or feel hurt by something someone says or does.

• My eyes sting from the smoke.
• The cut stung when I washed it.
• His rejection still stings after all these years.

Similar words: burn, hurt

Common phrases: eyes sting, sting badly, still sting

To cause someone physical pain or hurt feelings, or make them pay an unpleasantly high amount.

• Her cruel words stung him.
• The icy wind stung our faces.
• The hotel stung us for extra towels.

How to use it: sting someone for an amount (The garage stung me for fifty pounds just to check the car.)

Similar words: hurt

Common phrases: sting someone, sting your pride, sting someone for

To cheat someone so that they lose money.

• That seller stung me.
• She was stung for hundreds of pounds by a fake travel company.
• Buyers can get stung if they pay before checking the goods.

How to use it: sting someone for an amount (The dishonest dealer stung us for two thousand pounds.)

Similar words: cheat, con, swindle

Common phrases: sting someone, sting someone for, get stung

An injury caused when an insect or similar animal pushes its sharp body part into your skin.

• I felt a sting on my leg.
• A bee sting made his hand hurt.
• She had an allergic reaction after several wasp stings.

Common phrases: bee sting, wasp sting, painful sting

A sudden sharp pain in a small part of your skin.

• I felt a sting on my arm.
• The soap left a sting around the cut.
• Cold water eased the sting in her fingers.

Similar words: burn

Common phrases: sharp sting, sting of soap, feel a sting

A sharp body part that some insects and similar animals use to hurt others by releasing poison.

• A wasp has a sting.
• The scorpion raised its tail and showed its sting.
• The bee left its sting in his skin.

Similar words: stinger

Common phrases: wasp sting, bee sting, scorpion’s sting

A secret police plan to catch criminals by pretending to take part in a crime.

• Police caught him in a sting.
• The undercover sting exposed a group selling stolen cars.
• Officers arranged two stings to catch the dealers.

Similar words: undercover operation

Common phrases: police sting, undercover sting, sting operation