needle
noun /ˈniːdl/
/ˈniːdl/
[countable]Idioms 
enlarge image
enlarge imagea small thin piece of steel that you use for sewing, with a point at one end and a hole for the thread at the other- a needle and thread
- the eye (= hole) of a needle
- Can you thread this needle?
- a packet of small needles
Extra Examples- She sewed it on with needle and thread.
- The needle went in easily.
- Thread the needle with a different coloured silk.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- blunt
- sharp
- …
- use
- thread
- prick somebody/something
- the eye of a needle
- needle and thread
- a needle in a haystack
- …
- (also knitting needle)a long thin piece of plastic or metal with a point at one end that you use for knitting. You usually use two together.
- Vera's knitting needles clicked away.
- a circular needle
- a needle holding two stitches
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- blunt
- sharp
- …
- use
- thread
- prick somebody/something
- the eye of a needle
- needle and thread
- a needle in a haystack
- …
- a very thin, pointed piece of steel used on the end of a syringe for putting a drug into somebody’s body, or for taking blood out of it
- a hypodermic needle
- a needle inserted into the abdomen
- Using dirty needles was a significant factor in the spread of the disease.
Extra ExamplesTopics Medicineb1- He believes that needle exchange schemes encourage drug addiction.
- He saw her stick a needle into her arm.
- She winced when she felt the needle pierce her skin.
- needle exchange programs
- the dangers of sharing needles
- A long needle is used to take a sample of the tumour.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hypodermic
- syringe
- injection
- …
- inject
- insert
- jab (somebody with)
- …
- go in
- pierce something
- tip
- exchange
- biopsy
- …
- the prick of a needle
- a thin piece of metal on a scientific instrument that moves to point to the correct measurement or direction
- The compass needle was pointing north.
Extra Examples- The needle moved away from the wind.
- Wait until the needle settles and is pointing in one direction.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- magnetic
- compass
- move
- point
- the needle of a compass
- [usually plural] the thin, hard, pointed leaf of a pine tree
enlarge image- A soft blanket of pine needles covered the forest floor.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- conifer
- pine
- drop
- lose
- the very small pointed piece of metal that touches a record that is being played in order to produce the sound synonym stylus
- She lowered the needle onto the record.
- The gramophone needle stuck in a groove.
for sewing
for knitting
for drugs
on instrument
on pine tree
on record player
Word OriginOld English nǣdl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naald and German Nadel, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin nere ‘to spin’ and Greek nēma ‘thread’.
Idioms
be on pins and needles (North American English)
(also (be) on tenterhooks British and North American English)
- (to be) very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out something or see what will happen
- I've been on pins and needles all week waiting for the results.
a needle in a haystack
- a thing that is almost impossible to find
- Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a needle in a haystack.