Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun A small swelling of the skin, usually caused by acne; a papule or pustule.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A small inflammatory dermal tumor or swelling; a papule or pustule, such as are seen in acne.
  • noun A little elevation or protuberance, of any kind, resembling a pimple.
  • noun A jolly boon companion.
  • To cover with pimples; cause to abound with pimples; spot or blotch as with pimples.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Med.) Any small acuminated elevation of the cuticle, whether going on to suppuration or not.
  • noun Fig.: A swelling or protuberance like a pimple.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun An inflamed (raised and colored) spot on the surface of the skin that is usually painful and fills with pus.
  • noun slang An annoying person.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun a small inflamed elevation of the skin; a pustule or papule; common symptom in acne

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Early Modern English pimple, pumple (not found in Middle English), probably a nasalised variation of Old English piplian, pyplian "to break out in pimples, show erruptions". Akin to Old English pipliġende "having shingles".

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Examples

  • This then eventually swells forming a reddish mini-boil: this is what we call a pimple, acne or even blackheads.

    xml's Blinklist.com 2008

  • Extractions of active acne whether it is the pustule type we call a pimple or a comedone, which we refer to as a blackhead are tricky and unnecessary and can be unsafe too.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • Extractions of active acne whether it is the pustule type we call a pimple or a comedone, which we refer to as a blackhead are tricky and unnecessary and can be unsafe too.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • Extractions of active acne whether it is the pustule type we call a pimple or a comedone, which we refer to as a blackhead are tricky and unnecessary and can be unsafe too.

    Simple Skin Beauty Ellen Marmur 2009

  • The pimple was the first sign of flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis; that player needed multiple surgeries and skin grafts before his infection healed.

    SUPERBUG MARYN MCKENNA 2010

  • The pimple was the first sign of flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis; that player needed multiple surgeries and skin grafts before his infection healed.

    SUPERBUG MARYN MCKENNA 2010

  • The pimple was the first sign of flesh-eating necrotizing fasciitis; that player needed multiple surgeries and skin grafts before his infection healed.

    SUPERBUG MARYN MCKENNA 2010

  • = — There are many kinds of pimples, some of which partake almost of the nature of ulcers, which require medical treatment; but the small red pimple, which is most common, may be removed by applying the following twice a day: Sulphur water, one ounce; acetated liquid of ammonia, one-quarter ounce; liquor of potassa, one grain; white wine vinegar, two ounces; distilled water, two ounces.

    The Ladies Book of Useful Information Compiled from many sources Anonymous

  • | Reply | Permalink for the record, I said 'pimple', not 'pimp'.

    Obama Responds: I Will Never Use "Threat Of Terrorism To Scare Up Votes" 2009

  • Blood flow remains normal until the plaque "pimple" ruptures.

    Fast Chat: Changing Your Heart 2007

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