Home / Dictionary / needle

needle

/ˈniː.dl/
noun
  1. A fine, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections, etc.

    "The seamstress threaded the needle to sew on a button."

  2. Any slender, pointed object resembling a needle, such as a pointed crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.

  3. A fine measurement indicator on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle.

    "The needle on the fuel gauge pointed to empty."

verb
  1. To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.

  2. To tease in order to provoke; to poke fun at.

    "Billy needled his sister incessantly about her pimples."

  3. To form, or be formed, in the shape of a needle.

    "to needle crystals"

Synonymsgoad, tease

Practice "needle" in context

WordNote uses spaced repetition across multiple quiz levels, from recognizing the meaning to recalling it in active practice.

Save to WordNote — it's free →

No credit card. No install required.

needle — meaning, definition & examples | WordNote | WordNote