Link Centre Dictionary

prick

UK/pɹɪk/ US/pʰɹ̠̊ɪk/ common slang
verb (7) noun (4)

verb

1.

make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn

  • “The nurse pricked my finger to get a small blood sample”
Synonyms
2.

cause a stinging pain

  • “The needle pricked his skin”
Synonyms
3.

raise

  • “The dog pricked up his ears”
Synonyms
4.

prod or urge as if with a log stick

Synonyms
5.
6.

to cause a sharp emotional pain

  • “The thought of her unhappiness pricked his conscience”
7.

deliver a sting to

  • “A bee stung my arm yesterday”
Synonyms

noun

1.
2.
3.
4.

the act of puncturing with a small point

  • “he gave the balloon a small prick”
Synonyms

Origin

From Middle English prik, prikke, from Old English prica, pricu (“a sharp point, minute mark, spot, dot, small portion, prick”), from Proto-West Germanic *prikō, *priku, from Proto-Germanic *prikô, *prikō (“a prick, point”), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *breyǵ- (“to scrape, scratch, rub, prickle, chap”). Cognate with West Frisian prik (“small hole”), West Frisian prikke (“penis”), Dutch prik (“point, small stick", also "penis”), Danish prik (“dot”), Icelandic prik (“dot, small stick”).

Phrases

  • ear prick
  • gnat's prick
  • like a spare prick at a wedding
  • prick farrier
  • prick of perfection
  • prick one's ears
  • prick out
  • prick post
  • prick punch
  • prick tease
  • prick the garter
  • prick up one's ears

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

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WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.