"pricking" in the noun sense
1. prick, pricking
the act of puncturing with a small point
"he gave the balloon a small prick"
"pricking" in the verb sense
1. prickle, prick
make a small hole into, as with a needle or a thorn
"The nurse pricked my finger to get a small blood sample"
2. prick, sting, twinge
cause a stinging pain
"The needle pricked his skin"
3. prick up, prick, cock up
raise
"The dog pricked up his ears"
4. goad, prick
stab or urge on as if with a pointed stick
5. prickle, prick
cause a prickling sensation
6. prick
to cause a sharp emotional pain
"The thought of her unhappiness pricked his conscience"
7. sting, bite, prick
deliver a sting to
"A bee stung my arm yesterday"
Source: WordNet® (An amazing lexical database of English)
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