needle

²needle

verb

nee·dlednee·dling\ˈnēd-liŋ, ˈnē-d^əl-iŋ\

Definition of NEEDLE

transitive verb

1

: to sew or pierce with or as if with a needle

2

a : tease, torment b : to incite to action by repeated gibes <needled the boy into a fight>

intransitive verb

: sew, embroider

— nee·dler \ˈnēd-lər, ˈnē-d^əl-ər\ noun

Examples of NEEDLE

1. His classmates needled him about his new haircut.
2. <we needled him mercilessly for thinking that he had any chance of being the prom date for the school's most popular girl>

First Known Use of NEEDLE

circa 1715

Related to NEEDLE

Synonyms: bait, hassle, haze, heckle, tease, ride, taunt

Related Words: deride, gibe (or jibe), jeer, mock, ridicule; annoy, bother, bug, burn (up), chafe, fret, frost, gall, get, gnaw (at), grate, gripe, hack (off), hagride, irk, irritate, itch, nag, nark [British], nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, ruffle, spite, trouble, vex; aggravate, exasperate, goad, test, try; aggrieve, agitate, bedevil, beleaguer, discomfort, disturb, perturb; badger, dog, hound; browbeat, bully, hector; harass, harry, persecute, plague, terrorize, torment, torture

Near Antonyms: compliment; commend, laud, praise, recommend, tout; acclaim, applaud, build up, eulogize, extol (also extoll)

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Rhymes with NEEDLE

creedal