prick

[ prik ]

/ prɪk /

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noun

a puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.

a sharp point; prickle.

the act of pricking: the prick of a needle.

the state or sensation of being pricked.

a sharp pain caused by or as if by being pricked; twinge.

the pointed end of a prickspur.

Slang: Vulgar.

penis.
an obnoxious or contemptible person.

Archaic. a goad for oxen.

Obsolete. a small or minute mark, a dot, or a point.

Obsolete. any pointed instrument or weapon.

verb (used with object)

to pierce with a sharp point; puncture.

to affect with sharp pain, as from piercing.

to cause sharp mental pain to; sting, as with remorse, anger, etc.: His conscience pricked him.

to urge on with or as if with a goad or spur: My duty pricks me on.

to mark (a surface) with pricks or dots in tracing something.

to mark or trace (something) on a surface by pricks or dots.

to cause to stand erect or point upward (usually followed by up): The dog pricked his ears at the sound of the bell.

Farriery.

to lame (a horse) by driving a nail improperly into its hoof.
to nick: to prick a horse's tail.

to measure (distance, the size of an area, etc.) on a chart with dividers (usually followed by off).

Horticulture. to transplant (a seedling) into a container that provides more room for growth (usually followed by out or off).

verb (used without object)

to perform the action of piercing or puncturing something.

to have a sensation of being pricked.

to spur or urge a horse on; ride rapidly.

to rise erect or point upward, as the ears of an animal (usually followed by up).

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Question 1 of 7

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Idioms about prick

kick against the pricks, to resist incontestable facts or authority; protest uselessly: In appealing the case again, you will just be kicking against the pricks.

prick up one's ears, to become very alert; listen attentively: The reporter pricked up his ears at the prospect of a scoop.

Origin of prick

before 1000; (noun) Middle English prike;Old English prica, price dot, point; (v.) Middle English priken,Old English prician; cognate with Dutch, Low German prik point

OTHER WORDS FROM prick

pricker, nounprick·ing·ly, adverbun·pricked, adjective

Words nearby prick

price support, price tag, price war, pricey, Prichard, prick, prick-eared, pricker, pricket, pricking, prickle

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use prick in a sentence

Using a fork, prick each potato in several places, then place them on the baking sheet and bake for about 30 minutes.
Chili-tinged sweet potatoes are loaded in all the right ways - flavor, nutrition and satisfaction|Ellie Krieger|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
They were meant to prick, humiliate and demoralize the soldiers so they would defect from the war.
A lesbian couple who scattered ‘butterflies’ to undermine the Nazis|Karen Tucker|December 4, 2020|Washington Post
Using the sharp point of the knife, prick the duck skin all over except for the drumsticks.
Orange-sriracha glazed duck and roasted fruit are a stunning sheet-pan dinner combination|Olga Massov|November 10, 2020|Washington Post
Note that you should never prick or slice open quality sausages before cooking them.
A Family-Friendly Camp Meal That Everyone Can Help With|Wes Siler|October 1, 2020|Outside Online

The company 1Drop Diagnostics, which is developing credit card–sized chips to detect chemical markers of different diseases in blood samples from a finger prick, is working on portable blood tests for astronauts.
What will astronauts need to survive the dangerous journey to Mars?|Maria Temming|July 15, 2020|Science News
For those of you who believe in following the money, prick up your ears.
New Kate Pregnancy Rumors Circulate!|Tom Sykes|July 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Prick the bladder with a needle every so often,” she advises sagely, “to keep it from exploding.
The Queen of the French Kitchen|Katie Baker|March 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The columnist was a royal prick, but he had this soft spot for Damon Runyon, who was dying at the time.
The Stacks: Harold Conrad Was Many Things, But He Was Never, Ever Dull|Mark Jacobson|March 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The prick of conscience she has alerts us to the fact that she is different from Francis—or just at a different stage of her life.
Beau Willimon on Most Shocking Twists in ‘House of Cards’ Season 2|Andrew Romano|February 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A 1992 episode of the sitcom imagined what it would be like if a bubble boy was actually kind of prick.
‘Under the Dome’ and Pop Culture’s Greatest Moments in Bubbles|Kevin Fallon|June 25, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Then they continue to prick the body, and, as they say, they draw off or suck out the humors until the body is left dry.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898, Volume XX, 1621-1624|Various
She ain't all greyhound; but the best man as ever I knew always said there never was a prick-eared one a bad 'un.
The Chequers|James Runciman
This time I had my ankus with me, so that in case he should run away again I could prick his neck and make him behave.
Kari the Elephant|Dhan Gopal Mukerji
In Stanley's experience one man died within a minute, from a mere pin prick in the breast.
Man And His Ancestor|Charles Morris
Then the Loon tried to prick the Tin Woodman's leg, but the tin only blunted the point of the thorn.
The Tin Woodman of Oz|L. Frank Baum

British Dictionary definitions for prick

prick

/ (prɪk) /

verb (mainly tr)

to make (a small hole) in (something) by piercing lightly with a sharp point
to wound in this manner

(intr) to cause or have a piercing or stinging sensation

to cause to feel a sharp emotional painknowledge of such poverty pricked his conscience

to puncture or pierce

to mark, delineate, or outline by dots or punctures

(also intr usually foll by up) to rise or raise erect; pointthe dog pricked his ears up at his master's call

(usually foll by out or off) to transplant (seedlings) into a larger container

(often foll by off) nautical to measure or trace (a course, distance, etc) on a chart with dividers

archaic to rouse or impel; urge on

(intr) archaic to ride fast on horseback; spur a horse on

prick up one's ears to start to listen attentively; become interested

noun

the act of pricking or the condition or sensation of being pricked

a mark made by a sharp point; puncture

a sharp emotional pain resembling the physical pain caused by being prickeda prick of conscience

a taboo slang word for penis

slang, derogatory an obnoxious or despicable man

an instrument or weapon with a sharp point, such as a thorn, goad, bee sting, etc

the footprint or track of an animal, esp a hare

obsolete a small mark caused by pricking a surface; dot; point

kick against the pricks to hurt oneself by struggling against something in vain

Word Origin for prick

Old English prica point, puncture; related to Dutch prik, Icelandic prik short stick, Swedish prick point, stick

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

prick

Idioms about prick

Origin of prick

OTHER WORDS FROM prick

Words nearby prick

Words related to prick

How to use prick in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for prick

Word Origin for prick