a small, pointed process growing from the bark of a plant.
3.
a sharp process or projection, as from the skin of an animal; a spine.
4.
a pricking sensation.
verb (used with object), prickled, prickling.
5.
to prick lightly.
6.
to cause a pricking or tingling sensation in.
verb (used without object), prickled, prickling.
7.
to tingle as if pricked.
Origin
before 950;Middle Englishprykel (noun), Old Englishpricel. See prick, -le
Related forms
unprickled, adjective
Examples from the web for prickle
They can't really prickle you if you don't take offense at their thoughtless offhand comments.
Film-goers have seen the lizards and the blazing rocks, have heard the didgeridoo, have felt their scalps prickle.
Many felt their skin prickle and were told to scrub down.
She felt a prickle on the back of her neck, a shiver of foreboding.
British Dictionary definitions for prickle
prickle
/ˈprɪkəl/
noun
1.
(botany) a pointed process arising from the outer layer of a stem, leaf, etc, and containing no woody or conducting tissue Compare thorn (sense 1)
2.
a pricking or stinging sensation
verb
3.
to feel or cause to feel a stinging sensation
4.
(transitive) to prick, as with a thorn
Word Origin
Old English pricel; related to Middle Low German prekel, German Prickel
Word Origin and History for prickle
n.
Old English pricel "thing to prick with, goad, point," from the same source as Old English prician (see prick (v.)) with instrumental suffix -el (cf. Middle Low German prickel, Dutch prikkel).