Pricking

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɪkɪŋ/

Definitions

1. The sensation or action of piercing or puncturing something with a sharp point, or the sharp stinging feeling that results from such contact
2. The process of producing a small puncture with a sharp instrument, along with the accompanying sharp, tingling sensation that arises from such a contact
3. The act of causing a minor puncture or penetrating the surface with a pointed object, which also evokes a sharp, tingling feeling as a response

Etymology: Old English had "prica" for a sharp point or tiny dot, and "prician" for the act of piercing with one. Both came from a Proto-Germanic root whose ultimate origin is uncertain, though it may go back to an Indo-European verb meaning to scrape or scratch. The noun and verb were close relatives from the start, which is why the same stem still serves for a tiny hole and for the act of making one. Over time the word spread through the Germanic languages with a surprisingly consistent family of senses: Dutch "prik" means both a point and a sting, and the Frisian and Danish cognates centre on a small dot or hole. The English verb "prick" gradually acquired its sense of a stinging sensation, the feeling of a sharp point touching the skin, and that tingling meaning is what the present participle "pricking" carries when someone describes pins and needles.

Synonyms: stabbing, piercing, puncturing

Antonyms: soothing, calming