sting
verb uk/stɪŋ/ us/stɪŋ/ stung | stung
(HURT)
[ I or T ]（昆虫、植物或动物）叮，刺，蜇
If an insect, plant, or animal stings, it produces a small but painful injury, usually with a poison, by brushing against the skin or making a very small hole in the skin.
Do all types of bee sting? 所有种类的蜜蜂都蜇人吗？
I got stung by a wasp yesterday. 我昨天被黄蜂蜇了。
I didn't see the nettles until I was stung by them. 我被荨麻刺到后才看见它们。
[ I or T ]引起刺痛，引起灼痛
to cause sharp but usually temporary pain
The soap/smoke/sweat stung my eyes. 肥皂／烟雾／汗水刺痛了我的双眼。
This type of disinfectant doesn't sting, even if you put it on a fresh cut. 这种消毒药水即使涂在新的伤口上也不会有灼痛感。
[ I or T ]（伤害人的话）刺痛，使苦恼
If someone's unkind remarks sting, they make you feel upset and annoyed.
She knew he was right, but his words still stung. 她知道他是对的，但他的话仍旧伤害了她。
He was stung by her criticisms. 他被她的指责刺痛了。
She managed to give a stinging reply (= an angry answer intended to upset), before slamming down the phone. 她甩出一句尖刻的回答，然后啪的一声挂断了电话。
(CHARGE)
[ T ] informal向…索要惊人高价；敲诈
to charge someone a surprisingly large amount of money for something
The bank stung me for £50 in charges when I got overdrawn. 银行在我透支时宰了我50英镑。
sting
noun uk/stɪŋ/ us/stɪŋ/
(HURT)
[ C or S ]（眼睛、皮肤等的）灼痛，刺痛;蜇
a sudden burning pain in your eyes, on your skin, etc., or the ability to cause such pain
She had several bee stings. 她被蜜蜂蜇了几下。
the sting of salt in a wound 伤口上撒盐引起的灼痛
Some types of jellyfish have a powerful sting. 某些种类的水母蜇人很痛。
[ S ]痛苦;刺痛，刺伤;刺激
the feeling of being upset by something
the sting of defeat 失败的痛苦
[ C ] UK (US stinger)（昆虫或动物的）刺，蜇刺，蜇针;（植物的）刺毛
a pointed part of an insect, plant, or animal that goes through a person's or animal's skin and leaves behind poison
(GETTING STH)
[ C ] US精心设计的偷窃行为
a carefully planned and complicated plan which deceives people so that criminals can steal something
A bank employee was involved in the sting in which $5 million was stolen. 一名银行雇员卷入一宗精心策划的盗窃案，涉案金额达500万美元。
[ C ] mainly US（警方为抓捕罪犯的）卧底（行动）
a police action to catch criminals in which the police pretend to be criminals
a sting operation 卧底行动
(FILM)
（用作产品或电视频道品牌宣传的）非常短小的动画
a very short animation (= film using moving drawings) used as a form of advertising for a brand (= product name), TV channel, etc.
Idioms
have a sting in the/its tailidiom UK （故事、笑话等）结局出人意料，结尾煞风景
If something, such as a story or joke, has a sting in the/its tail, it has a surprising or unpleasant part that only becomes clear at the end.
take the sting out of somethingidiom 减少…的不快
If something takes the sting out of an unpleasant situation, it makes it less unpleasant.
The new policy of shorter working hours will serve to take the sting out of the pay cut. 缩短工作时间的新政策有助于减少降低薪水带来的不快。