prickle
verb /ˈprɪkl/
/ˈprɪkl/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they prickle | /ˈprɪkl/ /ˈprɪkl/ |
| he / she / it prickles | /ˈprɪklz/ /ˈprɪklz/ |
| past simple prickled | /ˈprɪkld/ /ˈprɪkld/ |
| past participle prickled | /ˈprɪkld/ /ˈprɪkld/ |
| -ing form prickling | /ˈprɪklɪŋ/ /ˈprɪklɪŋ/ |
- [transitive, intransitive] prickle (something) to give somebody an unpleasant feeling on their skin, as if a lot of small sharp points are pushing into it
- The rough cloth prickled my skin.
- His moustache prickled when he kissed me.
- [intransitive] prickle (with something) (of skin, eyes, etc.) to feel strange and unpleasant because you are frightened, angry, excited, etc.
- Her eyes prickled with tears.
- The thought made her prickle with excitement.
- The hairs on the back of my neck prickled when I heard the door open.
- (figurative) He prickled (= became angry) at the suggestion that it had been his fault.
Word OriginOld English pricel ‘instrument for pricking, sensation of being pricked’; related to Middle Dutch prickel, from the Germanic base of prick. The verb is partly a diminutive of the verb prick.