sting someone into something Definition

sting
noun

1. A defensive puncturing organ that is found in certain animals and plants, which can inject poison or venom, eg the spine of a sting-ray, the hairs of a stinging nettle, etc.
2. The injection of poison from an animal or plant.
3. A painful wound resulting from the sting of an animal or plant.
4. Any sharp tingling pain.
5. Anything that is hurtful, eg a vicious insult.

Example: felt the sting of her wicked words
6. slang
A trick, swindle or robbery.

verb stung, stinging

1. To pierce, poison or wound with a sting.
intr
2. To produce a sharp tingling pain.

Thesaurus: prick, prickle, tingle, hurt.
3. slang
To cheat, swindle or rob; to cheat by overcharging.
Example: stung him for 50 quid

Derivative: stinged
adj

Derivative: stinger
noun

Derivative: stinging
adj

Derivative: stingingly
adverb

Derivative: stingless
adj

Idiom: a sting in the tail

An unexpected turn of events, irony, unpleasantness, etc.

Idiom: sting someone into something

To goad or incite them into it.

Idiom: take the sting out of something

colloq
To soften the pain of it.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon stingan to pierce.