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—pricker, n. —prickingly, adv./prik/, n.1. a puncture made by a needle, thorn, or the like.2. a sharp point; prickle.3. the act of pricking: the prick of a needle.4. the state or sensation of being pricked.5. a sharp pain caused by or as if by being pricked; twinge.6. the pointed end of a prickspur.7. Slang (vulgar).a. penis.b. an obnoxious or contemptible person.8. Archaic. a goad for oxen.9. Obs. a small or minute mark, a dot, or a point.10. Obs. any pointed instrument or weapon.11. 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.v.t.12. to pierce with a sharp point; puncture.13. to affect with sharp pain, as from piercing.14. to cause sharp mental pain to; sting, as with remorse, anger, etc.: His conscience pricked him.15. to urge on with or as if with a goad or spur: My duty pricks me on.16. to mark (a surface) with pricks or dots in tracing something.17. to mark or trace (something) on a surface by pricks or dots.18. to cause to stand erect or point upward (usually fol. by up): The dog pricked his ears at the sound of the bell.19. Farriery.a. to lame (a horse) by driving a nail improperly into its hoof.b. to nick: to prick a horse's tail.20. to measure (distance, the size of an area, etc.) on a chart with dividers (usually fol. by off).21. Hort. to transplant (a seedling) into a container that provides more room for growth (usually fol. by out or off).v.i.22. to perform the action of piercing or puncturing something.23. to have a sensation of being pricked.24. to spur or urge a horse on; ride rapidly.25. to rise erect or point upward, as the ears of an animal (usually fol. by up).26. prick up one's ears, to become very alert; listen attentively: The reporter pricked up his ears at the prospect of a scoop.[bef. 1000; (n.) ME prike; OE prica, price dot, point; (v.) ME priken, OE prician; c. D, LG prik point]
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Universalium. 2010.