Prick
/prɪk/
nounverbB2
Definition
As a noun, "prick" is a small, sharp point like a tiny thorn or needle that can cause a quick, slight pain. As a verb, it means to make a small hole or to sting or poke someone or something gently but sharply, usually with a pointed object.
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See It in Action
Small sharp point or sting (noun)
- •I felt a prick on my finger from the rose thorn.
- •The prick of a needle can hurt but is very quick.
- •Be careful of the prick on that cactus!
To make a small hole or sting with a sharp object (verb)
- •The nurse pricked my arm to take a blood sample.
- •She pricked the balloon with a pin, and it popped.
- •He pricked his finger while sewing.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "prick" like "poke" (A1 word), but with a sharp, quick feeling that can hurt a little
- ✓Picture the small pain when a needle touches your skin for a moment, like a tiny sharp point touching you
- ✓It's the feeling when you accidentally touch a thorn or a small sharp object and feel a quick sting
- ✓Sounds like "prick" → imagine a small sharp stick quickly touching your finger, making a tiny hole or sting
- ✓Think of the story of "Sleeping Beauty," who was pricked by a spindle and fell asleep
- ✓NOT like "scratch" (which is a longer, softer touch); "prick" is quick and sharp
- ✓NOT like "cut" (which is a bigger injury); "prick" is very small and usually not serious
- ✓NOT like "poke" (which can be soft or hard); "prick" always involves something sharp and quick
Try Other Words
- •Stab: to push a sharp object into something (Use when the action is stronger and deeper than a prick)
- •Pierce: to make a hole through something (Use when the hole is more serious or larger)
- •Jab: to push quickly and sharply (Use when the action is quick and forceful, often with a finger or stick)
- •Sting: to cause a sharp, burning pain (Use when the feeling is more about pain than making a hole)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: The word "prick" is a simple root word with no prefix or suffix
- •Etymology: From Old English "priccian," meaning to pierce or stab with a pointed object
- •Historical development: Used since early English to describe small sharp points or the action of piercing lightly
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe small sharp pains or actions involving needles, thorns, or small pointed objects; also used figuratively in some contexts
Reflect & Connect
•How do small sharp sensations like a prick affect our awareness of danger or safety?
•Can the word "prick" be used in emotional or social situations beyond physical meaning? How?
Fill in the blanks
1.The nurse used a needle to prick my skin ___ collect a small amount of blood.
2.I felt a quick prick on my finger when I accidentally touched the ___ of the rose.
3.A prick is different from a cut because it is usually much ___ and less painful.
4.When you prick a balloon with a pin, it usually ___ immediately.
5.The word "prick" often describes a ___ touch with something sharp, not a soft poke.
6.After the prick, the small hole in the skin may ___ a little but will heal fast.
7.If you only poke someone gently, it is not the same as a ___ because a prick is sharper and quicker.