needle

Everyday

1. A needle is a very thin, sharp piece of metal with a hole (an eye) at one end for thread, used for sewing. tree →
2. A needle is the very thin hollow part of a syringe that a doctor or nurse uses for injections. tree →
3. Pine needles are the thin, pointed leaves of pine and other evergreen trees. tree →
4. A needle is a thin pointer on a dial, like on a compass. tree →
5. Knitting needles are long sticks for knitting. tree →

In the lessons

In everyday life needles are used for sewing buttons and for knitting. In health lessons a nurse uses a needle for vaccinations (jabs or shots); it may hurt a little for a moment. In safety lessons, never pick up a needle you find on the ground, in a park or on the beach; tell an adult, because used needles can carry germs. In science a compass needle points to magnetic north. Phrases: needle and thread, thread a needle, a needle in a haystack, pins and needles.

Examples

• Grandma sewed my button back on with a needle and thread. tree →
• The nurse used a needle to give me my vaccination. tree →
• If you find a needle in the park, don't touch it; tell an adult. tree →
• Pine needles covered the forest floor. tree →
• The compass needle pointed north. tree →
• Looking for my earring in the sand is like looking for a needle in a haystack. tree →
• My foot has pins and needles from sitting on it. tree →
• Can you help me thread this needle? tree →
• She took her needle and sang: tree →

Note

Countable: needles. «A needle in a haystack» means something very hard to find. «Pins and needles» is the tingly feeling when a part of your body has been squashed. Keep sewing needles away from babies and pets.