sting

For the verb: "to sting"

Simple Past:	stung
Past Participle:	stung

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
sting/stɪŋ/

▶noun

• 1 a small sharp-pointed organ of an insect, plant, etc. capable of inflicting a painful wound by injecting poison.

• 2 a wound from such an organ.

• 3 a sharp tingling sensation or hurtful effect.

• 4 informal a carefully planned undercover operation.

▶verb (past and past part. stung)

• 1 wound with a sting.

• 2 produce a stinging sensation.

  ■ hurt; upset.

  ■ (sting someone into) goad someone into.

• 3 informal swindle or exorbitantly overcharge.

– phrases
sting in the tail an unexpected and unpleasant end to something.

– derivatives
stinger noun,
stinging adjective,
stingingly adverb,
stingless adjective.

– origin OE sting (n.), stingan (v.), of Gmc origin.