prick
prick — noun
- pricksingular
- pricksplural
1. a very small hole or mark made in a surface by a sharp object such as a needle,
a very small hole or mark made in a surface by a sharp object such as a needle, pin, or thorn
The nurse made a small prick in Liam's fingertip to test his blood sugar.
prick + in [body part] for medical test
A tiny prick in the balloon was enough to make it deflate slowly.
After sewing for an hour, Sofia noticed several small pricks on her thumb where the needle had gone through.
The tailor used a pin to make a prick in the fabric before cutting the pattern.
Each prick from the cactus thorn left a red dot on Diego's palm.
用法筆記
Often used with 'in' or 'on' to specify the surface or body part where the hole is made.
常見錯誤
2. a sudden sharp stinging sensation on the skin, usually caused by a needle, thorn
a sudden sharp stinging sensation on the skin, usually caused by a needle, thorn, or similar sharp point
Fatima felt a sharp prick on her leg when she brushed against the rose bush.
sharp prick + on [body part]
The prick of the injection lasted only a second, but Yuki was still nervous about it.
Chinwe ignored the tiny prick of the sewing needle and kept stitching her dress.
A sudden prick in his finger made Oliver drop the broken glass onto the floor.
The cat's claw left a small prick on Emma's arm that stung for several minutes.
用法筆記
Focuses on the SENSATION rather than the hole itself. Unlike sense 1 (the physical mark), sense 2 is about the brief sting or discomfort felt.
常見錯誤
3. a sudden brief feeling of an unpleasant emotion, especially guilt, remorse, or e
a sudden brief feeling of an unpleasant emotion, especially guilt, remorse, or embarrassment
Amir felt a prick of guilt when he realised he had forgotten his mother's birthday again.
prick of guilt — most common collocation
As Noa walked past the homeless man, she felt a prick of shame for not stopping to help.
A prick of jealousy went through Elena when she saw her colleague receive the award.
The old photograph gave Kwame a prick of sadness for the friends he had lost touch with.
Vikram ignored the prick of regret and continued walking away from the shop.
文法句型
prick of + emotion
用法筆記
Always used with 'of + [emotion noun]'. Common emotions: guilt, remorse, shame, jealousy, envy, regret, sadness. The feeling is brief but sharp.
常見錯誤
4. a rude and offensive word for a man's sexual organ; use only in very informal or
a rude and offensive word for a man's sexual organ; use only in very informal or angry contexts
During the medical check-up, the doctor asked Kaito whether he had ever noticed any pain or swelling in his prick when urinating.
medical/anatomical context: body part reference, not insult
Hassan covered himself with both hands when the hospital gown fell open and exposed his prick to the nurse.
embarrassment about accidental exposure in medical setting
During the biology lesson, the diagram on the classroom screen showed a detailed drawing of a human prick, with each part clearly labelled.
The crude graffiti on the bathroom wall used words like 'prick' and 'dick' to refer to male body parts in a deliberately shocking way.
Igor cursed loudly when the zipper of his jeans caught the skin of his prick and drew a small drop of blood.
用法筆記
This is a strong swear word. Extremely offensive in formal, professional, or polite settings. Learners should avoid using it unless they fully understand the social consequences.
常見錯誤
5. an offensive word for a man who is stupid, unpleasant, or both; a general term o
an offensive word for a man who is stupid, unpleasant, or both; a general term of abuse
The angry driver rolled down his window and yelled, "Move your car, you stupid prick!"
used as direct address in anger
Grace called her boss a prick under her breath after he criticised her work unfairly in front of the team.
A sign on the wall read, "Don't be a prick — clean up after yourself in the kitchen."
The referee made such a bad call that the fans in the stadium shouted "You prick!" from the stands.
Hassan told his friend that their new neighbour was a real prick for playing loud music all night.
- jerk
less offensive, common in everyday American English for an unpleasant person
- arsehole (BrE) / asshole (AmE)
equally strong, possibly the closest equivalent in offensiveness
用法筆記
This is a very strong insult. Unlike 'idiot' or 'fool', which are mild, 'prick' is deeply offensive and likely to cause strong anger. Not used in polite conversation.
常見錯誤
prick — verb
- prickpresent simple I / you / we / they
- prickshe / she / it
- prickedpast simple
- pricking-ing form
1. to push a sharp point such as a needle or thorn into the surface of something, l
to push a sharp point such as a needle or thorn into the surface of something, leaving a tiny hole and sometimes causing pain
Mei-Lin pricked her finger on a needle while she was sewing a button back onto her coat.
prick + body part + on + sharp object
The gardener pricked the seed packet with a pin so that air could enter and keep the seeds dry.
A thorn from the rose bush pricked Oliver's arm as he walked past the flowerbed in the garden.
The nurse pricked Ananya's thumb gently with a small needle to get a drop of blood for the test.
Be careful not to prick yourself on the pins that are stuck into the cushion.
文法句型
prick + object
prick + object + on/with + sharp object
用法筆記
Transitive (prick something/someone) or reflexive (prick yourself). The object is typically a body part. The instrument is introduced with 'on' or 'with'.
常見錯誤
2. to cause someone to feel a sudden sharp feeling of guilt, remorse, or emotional
to cause someone to feel a sudden sharp feeling of guilt, remorse, or emotional discomfort, especially about something they have done or failed to do
Kwame's conscience pricked him for lying to his parents about where he had been that night.
conscience pricks [someone] — fixed collocation
Kavita was pricked by guilt when she saw how upset her sister was after their argument.
passive: be pricked by guilt
Seeing the homeless dog on the street pricked Diego's conscience and he decided to take it home.
The memory of her harsh words pricked Sofia's heart long after the conversation had ended.
Nothing pricked Jack's conscience more than the thought of leaving his elderly neighbour without help.
文法句型
prick + noun (conscience, heart)
be pricked by + noun
用法筆記
Almost always used with 'conscience' as the subject ('my conscience pricked me') or in the passive ('I was pricked by...'). The feeling is sharp but temporary.
常見錯誤
3. if an animal's ears prick up, they become upright and pointed forward; if a pers
if an animal's ears prick up, they become upright and pointed forward; if a person's ears prick up, they start to listen very carefully because something has caught their attention
The dog's ears pricked up when it heard the sound of its owner's car approaching the driveway.
animal: ears literally become erect
Emma's ears pricked up when she heard her name mentioned in the conversation across the room.
human: figurative — suddenly pay attention
The rabbit's ears pricked up and it stood completely still, sensing danger in the garden.
When the teacher mentioned a surprise trip, every student's ears pricked up at once.
My ears pricked up when I heard someone mention a job opening at the tech company.
- perk up
can describe both animals' ears and a person's mood; slightly more casual
- pay attention
more general and less vivid; works in any context
文法句型
prick up
prick up one's ears
用法筆記
For animals, this describes a physical movement of the ears. For humans, it is a fixed figurative expression — the ears do not literally move. The phrasal verb form is 'prick up'.