needle

1 a slender hollow instrument by which material is put into or taken from the body through the skin the nurse inserted the needle into his vein and collected some blood for testing Synonyms of needle hype [slang], hypodermic, hypodermic needle, hypodermic syringe, syringe

2 an arrow-shaped piece on a dial or scale for registering information simply by reading the compass needle you should be able to figure out in which direction we're heading Synonyms of needle hand, index, indicator, pointerWords Related to needle dial, face, gauge (also gage)

1 to attack repeatedly with mean put-downs or insults we needled him mercilessly for thinking that he had any chance of being the prom date for the school's most popular girl Synonyms of needle bait, hassle, haze, heckle, tease, ride, tauntWords Related to needle 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

2 to subject (someone) to constant scoldings and sharp reminders quit needling me! I'll take out the trash in a minute! Synonyms of needle dog, henpeck, hound, nag, peck (at)Words Related to needle carp (at), fuss (about or over), nitpick; annoy, badger, bait, bother, bug, chivy (or chivvy), harass, harry, hassle, irk, pester, plague, ride, vex, yap (at); egg, goad, incite, prod, prompt, spur, urge; exhort, insist, press, pressure, push; blandish, cajole, coax, wheedle; beg, importune, pleadNear Antonyms of needle compliment; commend, laud, praise, recommend, tout; acclaim, applaud, build up, eulogize, extol (also extoll)