sting

Everyday

1. Of a bee, wasp, jellyfish or nettle: to hurt you by pushing a tiny sharp part or poison into your skin. tree →
2. A noun: the wound or pain made by this. tree →
3. To feel or cause a sharp burning pain: soap stings your eyes. tree →
4. A noun: the sharp part of an insect that stings (also called a stinger). tree →
5. Of words: to hurt someone's feelings. tree →

In the lessons

In science: bees, wasps, scorpions, jellyfish and some plants (nettles) use stings to defend themselves. In safety: stay calm near bees, tell an adult about a sting, some people are allergic and need help fast. In stories a sting can be a sharp feeling of hurt or shame. Phrases: a bee sting, stung by a wasp, stinging nettles, a sting in the tail.

Examples

• A bee stung me on the finger. tree →
• The wasp sting made my arm red and swollen. tree →
• Shampoo stings if it gets in your eyes. tree →
• Stinging nettles grow by the path, so wear long trousers. tree →
• Jellyfish can sting you at the beach in Australia. tree →
• Some people are allergic to bee stings and need a doctor quickly. tree →
• A honeybee dies after it stings. tree →
• Her mean words stung more than the fall. tree →
• The Wasps said that they would keep guard and drive off thieves with their stings. tree →

Note

Irregular verb: sting, stung, stung — not «stinged». A bee loses its sting and dies; a wasp can sting again. Vinegar or rubbing helps only some stings; always tell an adult. A sting is not a bite: mosquitoes and dogs bite, bees and wasps sting.