needle

—needlelike, adj.

/need"l/, n., v., needled, needling.

n.

1. a small, slender, rodlike instrument, usually 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 similar, usually considerably larger, implements for making stitches, as one for use in knitting or one hooked at the end for use in crocheting.

3. Med.

a. a slender, pointed, steel instrument used in sewing or piercing tissues, as in suturing.

b. See hypodermic needle.

4. Informal. 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. Elect. See magnetic needle.

8. a pointed instrument, or stylus, used in engraving, etching, or the like.

9. Bot. a needle-shaped leaf, as of a conifer: a pine needle.

10. Zool. a slender sharp spicule.

11. Chem., Mineral. a needlelike crystal.

12. a sharp-pointed mass or pinnacle of rock.

13. an obelisk or a tapering, four-sided shaft of stone: Cleopatra's Needle.

14. Also called needle beam. Building Trades. a short beam passed through a wall as a temporary support.

15. on the needle, Slang. taking drugs by injection, esp. habitually.

16. the needle, Informal. irritating abuse; teasing; heckling (used esp. in the phrases give someone the needle and get the needle).

v.t.

17. to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle: to needle a patch on a sleeve.

18. Informal.

a. to prod or goad (someone) to a specified action: We needled her into going with us.

b. to tease: We needled him about his big ears.

19. Slang. to add alcohol or ether to (a beverage): to needle beer.

v.i.

20. to form needles in crystallization.

21. to work with a needle.

[bef. 900; 1880-85 for def. 18; ME nedle, OE naedl, c. G Nadel; akin to L nere to spin]

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Basic implement used in sewing or embroidering and, in variant forms, for knitting and crocheting.

The sewing needle is small, slender, and rodlike. One end is sharply pointed to make passing it through fabric easy; the other end has a slot (called an eye) to carry a thread. Modern sewing needles are made of steel. Crocheting needles are eyeless and have a hook on one end; they are usually of steel or plastic. Knitting needles are long, made of various materials, and bluntly pointed at one or both ends, sometimes with a knob at the end opposite the point.

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▪ tool

      basic implement used in sewing or embroidering and, in variant forms, for knitting and crocheting (crochet). The sewing needle is small, slender, rodlike, with a sharply pointed end to facilitate passing through fabric and with the opposite end slotted to carry a thread. Bone and horn needles have been used for at least 20,000 years. The earliest iron needles, dating to the 14th century, had no eye but had a closed hook to carry the thread. Eyed needles were manufactured in the Low Countries in the 15th century.

      Modern sewing needles are made of steel. Crocheting needles are eyeless, with one hooked end, and made in several sizes, commonly of steel or plastic. Knitting needles are long, made of a variety of materials, and bluntly pointed at one or both ends, sometimes with a knob at the end opposite the point. The earliest were hooked, but modern needles are straight.

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