needle /nēˈdl/

1. A small, sharp instrument with a hole for thread in the blunt end, for sewing
2. Any similar slender, pointed instrument, as for knitting, etching, playing gramophone records, suturing, dissection, (hooked) for crochet
3. The suspended magnet of a compass or galvanometer
4. A pointer on a dial
5. The pointed end of a hypodermic syringe
6. A hypodermic injection (informal)
7. Anything sharp and pointed
8. A pinnacle of rock
9. An obelisk
10. A long slender crystal
11. A strong beam passed through a wall as a temporary support
12. A long, narrow, stiff leaf
13. A feeling of irritation (slang)
14. Dislike, enmity (slang)

(of a contest) involving intense rivalry and acutely critical

1. To sew
2. To pierce
3. To penetrate
4. To thread
5. To pass through
6. To underpin with needles
7. To irritate, goad, heckle (informal)
8. To add alcohol to (an already alcoholic drink) (US sl)

1. To pass out and in
2. To sew

needˈleful noun

As much thread as will serve conveniently for one threading of a needle

needˈler noun

A needlemaker

needˈly adjective

Like needles

needle bank see needle exchange below.

needˈle-bath noun

A shower-bath with very fine strong jets

needˈle-book noun

A needle-case in book form

needˈle-case noun

A case for holding needles

needˈlecord noun

A cotton material with closer ribs and flatter pile than corduroy

needˈlecraft noun

1. The art of needlework
2. Lace made with a needle
3. Embroidery on canvas, done with woollen yarns, used on chair covers, etc

needle exchange or needle bank noun

A place where drug users may exchange old hypodermic syringes for new ones, usu free of charge, to help prevent the spread of disease or infection

needˈlefish noun

1. A pipefish
2. A garpike

needˈle-furze noun

The petty whin

needˈle-gun noun

A gun in which the cartridge is exploded by the impact of a spike

needle paper noun

Acid-free black paper used for wrapping needles

needˈlepoint noun

1. The point of a needle
2. A very sharp point
3. Point-lace made with a needle
4. Embroidery on canvas, done with woollen yarns, used on chair covers, etc

needˈle-pointˈed adjective

1. Pointed like a needle, round in section
2. (eg of a fish-hook) without a barb

needle roller-bearing noun

A roller-bearing without a cage, in which long rollers of small diameter are used, located endwise by a lip on the inner or outer race

needˈlestick adjective

(of injuries) caused by medical staff pulling off a dirty or bloody hypodermic needle from a syringe and pricking their fingers with it by accident

needle time noun

The amount of time allowed to a radio channel for the broadcasting of recorded music

needˈle-tin noun

Cassiterite in slender crystals

needle valve noun

A cone-shaped valve, ending in a point, used to control the flow of a fluid

needˈlewoman noun

1. A woman who does needlework
2. A seamstress

needˈlework noun

1. Work done with a needle
2. The business of a seamstress

get the needle (informal)

To be irritated

give the needle to (informal)

To irritate

look for a needle in a haystack (or (rare) bottle of hay)

To engage in a hopeless search

• dog-periwinkle
• dog-periwinkles
• dogpile
• dogpiles
• dog racing
• dog rose
• dog roses
• dogs
• dog's age
• dog-salmon
• dog'sbane
• dogsbodies
• dog's-body
• dogsbody
• dog's breakfast
• dog's chance
• dog's dinner
• dog's dinners
• straddles
• straddling
• stradiot
• stradiots
• Stradivari
• Stradivarius
• Straduarius