needle


Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
click for a larger image
needle
left to right: sailmaking, sewing machine, and tapestry needles
bottom right: spring needle

nee·dle

 (nēd′l)
n.
1.
a. A slender, pointed implement used for sewing or surgical suturing, made usually of polished steel and having an eye at one end through which a length of thread is passed and held.
b. Any of various similar implements, such as a fine sharp-pointed instrument used in acupuncture or a pointed shaft used in knitting, crocheting, or lace making.
c. A sharp-pointed instrument used in engraving.
2. A slender piece of jewel or steel used to transmit vibrations from the grooves of a phonograph record.
3.
a. A slender pointer or indicator on a dial, scale, or similar part of a mechanical device.
b. A magnetic needle.
4.
a. A hypodermic needle.
b. Informal A hypodermic injection; a shot.
5. Chiefly Upper Northern US See dragonfly.
6. A narrow stiff leaf, as of a pine or fir.
7. A fine, sharp projection, as a spine of a sea urchin or a crystal.
8.
a. A tall narrow rock formation.
b. An obelisk.
9. Informal A goading, provoking, or teasing remark or act.
v. nee·dled, nee·dling, nee·dles
v.tr.
1. To prick, pierce, or stitch with a needle.
2. Informal To goad, provoke, or tease.
v.intr.
To sew or do similar work with a needle.

[Middle English nedle, from Old English nǣdl; see (s)nē- in Indo-European roots.]

nee′dler n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

needle

(ˈniːdəl)
n
1. (Knitting & Sewing) a pointed slender piece of metal, usually steel, with a hole or eye in it through which thread is passed for sewing
2. (Knitting & Sewing) a somewhat larger rod with a point at one or each end, used in knitting
3. (Knitting & Sewing) a similar instrument with a hook at one end for crocheting
4. (Electronics)
a. another name for stylus3
b. a small thin pointed device, esp one made of stainless steel, used to transmit the vibrations from a gramophone record to the pick-up
5. (Medicine) med
a. the long hollow pointed part of a hypodermic syringe, which is inserted into the body
b. an informal name for hypodermic syringe
6. (Surgery) surgery a pointed steel instrument, often curved, for suturing, puncturing, or ligating
7. (Botany) a long narrow stiff leaf, esp of a conifer, in which water loss is greatly reduced: pine needles.
8. (Zoology) any slender sharp spine, such as the spine of a sea urchin
9. (General Physics) any slender pointer for indicating the reading on the scale of a measuring instrument
10. (General Physics) short for magnetic needle
11. (Chemistry) a crystal resembling a needle in shape
12. (Art Terms) a sharp pointed metal instrument used in engraving and etching
13. anything long and pointed, such as an obelisk: a needle of light.
14. (Building) a short horizontal beam passed through a wall and supported on vertical posts to take the load of the upper part of the wall
15. informal
a. anger or intense rivalry, esp in a sporting encounter
b. (as modifier): a needle match.
16. get the needle have the needle informal Brit to feel dislike, distaste, nervousness, or annoyance (for): she got the needle after he had refused her invitation.
vb
17. (tr) informal to goad or provoke, as by constant criticism
18. (Knitting & Sewing) (tr) to sew, embroider, or prick (fabric) with a needle
19. (Brewing) (tr) US to increase the alcoholic strength of (beer or other beverages)
20. (Chemistry) (intr) (of a substance) to form needle-shaped crystals
[Old English nǣdl; related to Gothic nēthla, German Nadel]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

nee•dle

(ˈnid l)

n., v. -dled, -dling. n.
1. a small, slender, rodlike instrument, usu. of polished steel, with a sharp point at one end and an eye or hole for thread at the other, for passing thread through cloth to make stitches in sewing.
2. any of various related, usu. considerably larger, implements for making stitches, as in knitting or crocheting. Compare crochet (def. 1), knitting needle.
3. Med.
a. a slender, pointed, steel instrument used in sewing or piercing tissues, as in suturing.
b. a hypodermic needle.
4. an injection of a drug or medicine; shot.
5. any of various objects resembling or suggesting a needle.
6. the tapered stylus at the end of a phonographic tonearm, used to transmit vibrations from a record groove to a transducer for conversion to audible signals.
7. a pointed instrument, or stylus, used in engraving, etching, or the like.
8. Bot. a needle-shaped leaf, as of a pine.
9. Zool. a slender, sharp spicule.
10. Chem., Mineral. a needlelike crystal.
11. a sharp-pointed mass or pinnacle of rock.
12. an obelisk or a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone.
13. the needle, Informal. teasing or harassing remarks.
v.t.
14. to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle.
15. Informal.
a. to prod or goad (someone) to a specified action: We needled her into going with us.
b. to tease.
v.i.
16. to form needles in crystallization.
17. to work with a needle.
[before 900; Middle English nedle, Old English nǣdl, c. Old High German nādala (German Nadel), Old Norse nāl, Gothic nethla; akin to German nähen to sew, Latin nēre to spin]
nee′dler, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

nee·dle

(nēd′l)
A narrow, stiff leaf, as of firs, pines, and other conifers. The reduced surface area of needles minimizes water loss and allows needle-bearing plants to live in dry climates. See more at leaf, See hypodermic needle.
The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

needle

  • gab - In mechanics, a hook or a notch in a rod or lever that then engages with a pin or needle.
  • in the groove - An allusion to the reproduction of music by a needle on a gramophone record.
  • needle - Has the same Indo-European base as Latin nere, "to spin," and Greek nema, "thread."
  • feed dog - The part of a sewing machine that feeds the material under the needle.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

needle


Past participle: needled
Gerund: needling

Imperative
needle
needle
Present
I needle
you needle
he/she/it needles
we needle
you needle
they needle
Preterite
I needled
you needled
he/she/it needled
we needled
you needled
they needled
Present Continuous
I am needling
you are needling
he/she/it is needling
we are needling
you are needling
they are needling
Present Perfect
I have needled
you have needled
he/she/it has needled
we have needled
you have needled
they have needled
Past Continuous
I was needling
you were needling
he/she/it was needling
we were needling
you were needling
they were needling
Past Perfect
I had needled
you had needled
he/she/it had needled
we had needled
you had needled
they had needled
Future
I will needle
you will needle
he/she/it will needle
we will needle
you will needle
they will needle
Future Perfect
I will have needled
you will have needled
he/she/it will have needled
we will have needled
you will have needled
they will have needled
Future Continuous
I will be needling
you will be needling
he/she/it will be needling
we will be needling
you will be needling
they will be needling
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been needling
you have been needling
he/she/it has been needling
we have been needling
you have been needling
they have been needling
Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been needling
you will have been needling
he/she/it will have been needling
we will have been needling
you will have been needling
they will have been needling
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been needling
you had been needling
he/she/it had been needling
we had been needling
you had been needling
they had been needling
Conditional
I would needle
you would needle
he/she/it would needle
we would needle
you would needle
they would needle
Past Conditional
I would have needled
you would have needled
he/she/it would have needled
we would have needled
you would have needled
they would have needled
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.needle - the leaf of a coniferneedle - the leaf of a conifer    
simple leaf - a leaf that is not divided into parts
2.needle - a slender pointer for indicating the reading on the scale of a measuring instrument
pointer - an indicator as on a dial
3.needle - a sharp pointed implement (usually steel)
crochet hook, crochet needle - a needle with a hook on the end; used in crocheting
dry point - a steel needle for engraving without acid on a bare copper plate
eye - a small hole or loop (as in a needle); "the thread wouldn't go through the eye"
hypodermic needle - a hollow needle
implement - instrumentation (a piece of equipment or tool) used to effect an end
knitting needle - needle consisting of a slender rod with pointed ends; usually used in pairs
packing needle - a large needle used to sew up canvas packages
point - sharp end; "he stuck the point of the knife into a tree"; "he broke the point of his pencil"
sewing needle - a needle used in sewing to pull thread through cloth
4.needle - a stylus that formerly made sound by following a groove in a phonograph record
stylus - a sharp pointed device attached to the cartridge of a record player
Verb1.needle - goad or provoke,as by constant criticism; "He needled her with his sarcastic remarks"
beset, chevvy, chevy, chivvy, chivy, harass, harry, hassle, molest, plague, provoke - annoy continually or chronically; "He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked"; "This man harasses his female co-workers"
2.needle - prick with a needle
stitchery, sewing - needlework on which you are working with needle and thread; "she put her sewing back in the basket"
prick, prickle - make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn; "The nurse pricked my finger to get a small blood sample"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

needle

1
verb irritate, anger, provoke, annoy, sting, bait, harass, taunt, infuriate, nag, hassle (informal), aggravate (informal), prod, gall, ruffle, spur, prick, exasperate, nettle, vex, goad, irk, rile, get under your skin (informal), get on your nerves (informal), nark (Brit., Austral., & N.Z. slang), piss you off (taboo slang), get in your hair (informal), get your back up (informal), run up the wrong way She could see that she had needled him with her constant questions.

needle

2 noun
Related words
fear belenophobia
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

needle

noun
A sharp, pointed object:
verb
Informal. To torment with persistent insult or ridicule:
Informal: ride.
Idiom: wave the red flag in front of the bull.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
إِبرَةٌإبْرَة البوصَلَهإبْرَة اي آلَهإبْرَة ورقَة الصُّنوبرإبْرَه
jehlajehlicestřelka
nålstrikkepindviserkanyle
سوزن
neulaneulanenpiikitellähärnätäkiusoitella
iglaiglica
mutatóvarrótû
barrnálnálnál, vísirnál; prjónnsaumnál
縫い針
바늘
adatasiuvimassiuvinysspyglysvartoti intraveninius narkotikus
adatarādītājsskuja
ihlastrelka
iglaiglicapletilkašivanka
nål
เข็ม
kim

needle

[ˈniːdl]
A. N
1. (for sewing) → aguja f
to get the needleponerse negro
to give sb the needlepinchar a algn, meterse con algn
it's like looking for a needle in a haystackes como buscar una aguja en un pajar
see also knitting, pin A1
2. (Bot) → aguja f, acícula f
pine needleaguja f de pino
3.rivalidad f, pique m
4. (= drugs) → droga f
B. VT
2. (US) [+ drink] → añadir alcohol a
C. CPD needle case Nalfiletero m
needle exchange N(centro m) de intercambio m de jeringuillas
needle match Npartido m de máxima rivalidad
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

needle

[ˈniːdəl]
n
(for sewing)aiguille f; (for knitting)aiguille f
I can't even thread a needle → Je ne sais même pas enfiler une aiguille.
(hypodermic)seringue f hypodermic needle
(on record player)saphir m
(on dial)aiguille f
(also pine needle) → aiguille f
vt (= annoy) [person] → asticoter, tourmenter
to needle sb about sth → asticoter qn à propos de qch
She was needling me about Doris → Elle m'asticotait à propos de Doris.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

needle

n (all senses) → Nadel f; it’s like looking for a needle in a haystackes ist, als ob man eine Stecknadel im Heuhaufen suchte; to give somebody the needle (inf)jdn reizen
vt
(inf: = goad) → ärgern, piesacken (inf); what’s needling him?was ist ihm über die Leber gelaufen? (inf)
(US inf) to needle a drinkeinen Schuss Alkohol in ein Getränk geben

needle

:
needle-book
nNadelheft nt
needle-case
nNadeletui nt
needlecord
n (Tex) → Feincord m
needlecraft
nhandarbeitliches Geschick
needle exchange
n (= centre)˜ Fixerstube f; (= drugs treatment programme)Spritzentausch m
needle match
needle-sharp
adj (inf)clever (inf), → schwer auf Zack (inf)

needle

:
needlewoman
nNäherin f
needlework
nHandarbeit f; a piece of needleeine Handarbeit
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

needle

[ˈniːdl]
1. nago; (on record player) → puntina
knitting needle → ferro (da calza)
it's like looking for a needle in a haystack → è come cercare un ago in un pagliaio
to give sb the needle (fam) (annoy) → dare ai nervi a qn
2. vt (fam) (annoy) → irritare, dare ai nervi a; (tease, provoke) → punzecchiare
she was needled into replying → punzecchiata, ha risposto
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

needle

(ˈniːdl) noun
1. a small, sharp piece of steel with a hole (called an eye) at one end for thread, used in sewing etc. a sewing needle.
2. any of various instruments of a long narrow pointed shape. a knitting needle; a hypodermic needle.
3. (in a compass etc) a moving pointer.
4. the thin, sharp-pointed leaf of a pine, fir etc.
be on the needle
to use hard drugs by injecting them.
ˈneedlework noun
work done with a needle ie sewing, embroidery etc.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.

needle

إِبرَةٌ jehla nål Nadel βελόνα aguja neula aiguille igla ago 縫い針 바늘 naald nål igła agulha игла nål เข็ม iğne kim
Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

nee·dle

n. aguja;
hypodermic ______ hipodérmica.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
Collins Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009

needle

n aguja; butterfly — aguja mariposa; — exchange intercambio de agujas
English-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in classic literature ?
The magnetic energy, as developed in the mariner's needle, is, as all know, essentially one with the electricity beheld in heaven; hence it is not to be much marvelled at, that such things should be.
Children, too young to comprehend wherefore this woman should be shut out from the sphere of human charities, would creep nigh enough to behold her plying her needle at the cottage-window, or standing in the doorway, or labouring in her little garden, or coming forth along the pathway that led townward, and, discerning the scarlet letter on her breast, would scamper off with a strange contagious fear.
I had to do something with my hands; so I took up a needle off of the table and went to threading it.
Each of them threaded her needle with a short end of thread attached to the work, which was instantly pulled by an invisible force through the stuff, dragging the needle after it: the nimble fingers of the little sempstress caught it at the other side, but only to lose it again the next moment.
One morning I made a rent in this mantle; and to show the islanders with what facility it could be repaired, I lowered my bundle, and taking from it a needle and thread, proceeded to stitch up the opening.
In the afternoon, after her walk or drive, she sat with Aunt Peace plying her needle, while Aunt Plenty, whose eyes were failing, knitted and chatted briskly, telling many a pleasant story of old times, till the three were moved to laugh and cry together, for the busy needles were embroidering all sorts of bright patterns on the lives of the workers, though they seemed to be only stitching cotton and darning hose.
Still she might look at it as often as she dared to raise her eyes from her needle. The poor girl was not what she had been two months before.
Your confidential clerk and your detective policeman are looking for a needle in a bottle of hay.
As he had a compassionate heart he pulled out his needle and thread, and sewed her together.
For if a Soldier is a wedge, a Woman is a needle; being, so to speak, ALL point, at least at the two extremities.
This dial with movable needle is a manometer, is it not?"
'Are you a child or a teetotum?' the Sheep said, as she took up another pair of needles. 'You'll make me giddy soon, if you go on turning round like that.' She was now working with fourteen pairs at once, and Alice couldn't help looking at her in great astonishment.

Full browser ?