Main Entry:

²prick

Function:

verb

Date:

before 12th century

transitive verb

1: to pierce slightly with a sharp point2: to affect with anguish, grief, or remorse <doubt began to prick him — Philip Hale>3: to ride, guide, or urge on with or as if with spurs : goad4: to mark, distinguish, or note by means of a small mark5: to trace or outline with punctures6: to remove (a young seedling) from the seedbed to another suitable for further growth —usually used with out7: to cause to be or stand erect <a dog pricking its ears>intransitive verb1 a: to prick something or cause a pricking sensation b: to feel discomfort as if from being pricked2 a: to urge a horse with the spur b: to ride fast3: thrust4: to become directed upward : point

— prick up one's ears

: to listen intently