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prick

PRIK/pɹɪk/

Verbpricks, pricking, pricked

Noun pluralpricks

28 meanings of prick

Practice

  1. 1
    verbtransitive
    To make a tiny hole or holes in something with a sharp point, such as a pin, needle, or fork.

    Be careful not to prick your finger on the needle.

    A thorn pricked her hand while she was picking roses.

    UsageSay prick your finger on a needle.

  2. 2
    rude mannounslangderogatoryvulgarcountable
    A rude or mean person, usually a man.

    Don't be such a prick to your little brother.

    Those guys acted like pricks all night.

    Similarasshole, bastard, berk

    Note
  3. 3
    nouncountable
    A tiny hole or mark made by something sharp.

    There was a tiny prick in the paper where the pin went through.

    Hold the paper up to the light and you can see the pricks.

    Similarpuncture, hole, pinhole, perforation

  4. 4
    needle feelingnouncountable
    The sharp feeling when something small and pointed, like a needle, goes into your skin.

    You will feel a sharp prick, and then it's over.

    He felt the prick of a thorn as he reached into the bush.

    UsageSay a sharp prick.

    Similarsting, jab

  5. 5
    raise earsverbtransitive or intransitive
    To lift or stand up into a point, like a dog's ears when it hears something.

    Watch the cat's ears prick up when you open the fridge.

    The dog pricked up its ears at the sound of the car.

    UsageSay the dog's ears pricked up.

    Similarcock, perk, raise

    Note
  6. 6
    trouble (conscience)verbtransitive
    To make someone feel a sudden sharp pain, often of guilt.

    Her conscience began to prick her after she told the lie.

    Guilt pricked him every time he walked past his old friend's house.

    UsageSay guilt pricked him.

    Similarsting, pain, trouble, nag

    Note
  7. 7
    penisnounslangvulgarcountable
    A man's penis.

    The ball hit him right in the prick, and he fell to the ground.

    Someone had drawn a prick on the bathroom wall.

    Similardick, cock

  8. 8
    verbintransitive
    To get a small hole, or to feel a sharp pain like a pin going in.

    Sad movies always make my eyes prick with tears.

    By the pricking of my thumbs, / Something wicked this way comes.
    c. 1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”Here, pricking means a sharp, stinging feeling, as if poked by a needle.

    UsageSay her eyes pricked with tears.

    Similarsting, smart, tingle

    Note
  9. 9
    plant seedlingsverbtransitive
    In gardening, to move tiny young plants from where they sprouted into their own pots or into wider spaces.

    When the seedlings have two leaves, prick them out into small pots.

    We pricked out the tomato seedlings into a tray.

    UsageSay prick out the seedlings.

    Similartransplant

    Note
  10. 10
    urge onverbtransitive
    To push or urge someone to do something.

    Fear of failing can prick you into working harder.

    Guilt finally pricked him into calling his mother.

    UsageSay guilt pricked him into calling.

    Similarspur, goad, prod, drive, urge

    Oppositediscourage

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of prick apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origins

Meanings 2–4, 7, 11, 15–18

From an Old English word meaning "a sharp point" or "dot".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 1 fact

  • Prick derives from an Old English noun meaning a sharp point or dot. en.wiktionary.org
Meanings 1, 5–6, 8–10, 12–14, 19–20

From the Old English verb prician, meaning "to prick".

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts