Definitions

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

  • noun A small hard pointed outgrowth of the epidermis of a plant, in contrast to a modified plant organ such as a spine or thorn.
  • noun A spine, thorn, or other small sharp structure.
  • noun A tingling or pricking sensation.
  • intransitive verb To feel a tingling or pricking sensation.
  • intransitive verb To rise or stand up like prickles.
  • intransitive verb To cause a tingling or pricking sensation in.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To prick or puncture slightly; pierce with fine sharp points.
  • To cause a pricking sensation in: said of the skin.
  • To cover with pricks or points; dot.
  • To be prickly.
  • noun A little prick; a small sharp point; in botany, a small sharp-pointed conical process growing from the bark only, as in the rose and blackberry, and thus distinguished from the spine or thorn, which is usually a modified branch or leaf growing from the wood of the plant.
  • noun A sharp-pointed process or projection, as from the skin of an animal; a spine.
  • noun The sensation of being pricked or stung.
  • noun A kind of basket: still used in some trades. See the second quotation.
  • noun A sieve of filberts, containing about half of a hundredweight.

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

  • noun A little prick; a small, sharp point; a fine, sharp process or projection, as from the skin of an animal, the bark of a plant, etc.; a spine.
  • noun A kind of willow basket; -- a term still used in some branches of trade.
  • noun engraving A sieve of filberts, -- about fifty pounds.
  • transitive verb To prick slightly, as with prickles, or fine, sharp points.

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

  • noun A small, sharp pointed object, such as a thorn.
  • noun A tingling sensation of mild discomfort.
  • verb intransitive To feel a prickle.
  • verb transitive To cause someone to feel a prickle.

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

  • verb make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn
  • noun a small sharp-pointed tip resembling a spike on a stem or leaf
  • verb cause a stinging or tingling sensation
  • verb cause a prickling sensation

Etymologies

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

[Middle English prikel, from Old English pricel.]

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Examples

  • It took my editor to point out to me that I’d made the protagonist’s skin prickle at least six times in my current ms.

    Writer Unboxed » Blog Archive » Alpha and Omega 2008

  • He opened his eyes and found him self lying on the merge of the cold-water tank, amongst a crowd of people all laughing at him; for his prickle was at point and the napkin had slipped from his middle.

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night 2006

  • These are known as prickle cells because of the bridges by which they are connected to one another.

    X. The Organs of the Senses and the Common Integument. 2. The Common Integument 1918

  • Ezek. 28: 24, sallon ', properly a "prickle," such as is found on the shoots of the palm tree.

    Easton's Bible Dictionary M.G. Easton 1897

  • The prickle of a ward rushed over me, and I felt myself wincing in expectation.

    Crossed J.F. Lewis 2011

  • Next time you are faced with one of those really irritating and chronic ‘pains-in-the-ass’ – just think; “Prickle, prickle, prickle …” on July 29, 2009 at 12: 24 am Burbage

    Police Use Naughty Word *SHOCK* « POLICE INSPECTOR BLOG Inspector Gadget 2009

  • The prickle of a ward rushed over me, and I felt myself wincing in expectation.

    Crossed J.F. Lewis 2011

  • Tara could feel the vibration crawling along her skin underneath her suit, the prickle of radiation that felt like standing too close to a stereo speaker.

    Rogue Oracle 2011

  • I pushed aside the prickle of guilt, willing him to continue.

    Haven Kristi Cook 2011

  • I pushed aside the prickle of guilt, willing him to continue.

    Haven Kristi Cook 2011

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