prick

Etymology 1

From Middle English prik, prikke, from Old English prica, pricu (“a sharp point, minute mark, spot, dot, small portion, prick”), from Proto-West Germanic *prikō, *priku, from Proto-Germanic *prikô, *prikō (“a prick, point”), of uncertain origin, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *breyǵ- (“to scrape, scratch, rub, prickle, chap”). Cognate with West Frisian prik (“small hole”), West Frisian prikke (“penis”), Dutch prik (“point, small stick", also "penis”), Danish prik (“dot”), Icelandic prik (“dot, small stick”).

noun

1. A small hole or perforation, caused by piercing.
2. An indentation or small mark made with a pointed object.
3. (obsolete) A dot or other diacritical mark used in writing; a point.
4. (obsolete) A tiny particle; a small amount of something; a jot.
5. A small pointed object.
6. The experience or feeling of being pierced or punctured by a small, sharp object.
   I felt a sharp prick as the nurse took a sample of blood.
7. A feeling of remorse.
   1768–1777, Abraham Tucker, The Light of Nature Pursued the pricks of conscience
8. (slang, vulgar) The penis.
9. (UK, Australia, US, New Zealand, Canada, Ireland, South Africa, slang, derogatory) Someone (especially a man or boy) who is unpleasant, rude or annoying.
10. (now historical) A small roll of yarn or tobacco.
11. The footprint of a hare.
12. (obsolete) A point or mark on the dial, noting the hour.
13. (obsolete) The point on a target at which an archer aims; the mark; the pin.

Etymology 2

From Middle English prikken, from Old English prician, priccan (“to prick”), from Proto-Germanic *prikōną, *prikjaną (“to pierce, prick”), of uncertain origin; perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *breyǵ- (“to scrape, scratch, rub, prickle, chap”). Cognate with dialectal English pritch, Dutch prikken (“to prick, sting”), Middle High German pfrecken (“to prick”), Swedish pricka (“to dot, prick”), and possibly to Lithuanian įbrėžti (“to scrape, scratch, carve, inscribe, strike”).

verb

1. (transitive) To pierce or puncture slightly.
   1. (farriery) To drive a nail into (a horse's foot), so as to cause lameness.
   2. (transitive, hunting) To shoot without killing.
      They had shot at old Tom, the hare, too, but he is still alive; at least I pricked him yesterday morn across the path into the turnip field. 1871, Robert Smith Surtees, Jorrocks's jaunts and jollities, page 48
2. (transitive) To form by piercing or puncturing.
   to prick holes in paper
   to prick a pattern for embroidery
   to prick the notes of a musical composition
3. (obsolete) To mark or denote by a puncture; to designate by pricking; to choose; to mark.
   c. 1620, Francis Bacon, letter of advice to Sir George Villiers Some who are pricked for sheriffs.
4. (transitive, chiefly nautical) To mark the surface of (something) with pricks or dots; especially, to trace a ship’s course on (a chart).
5. (nautical, obsolete) To run a middle seam through the cloth of a sail.
6. To fix by the point; to attach or hang by puncturing.
7. (intransitive, dated) To be punctured; to suffer or feel a sharp pain, as by puncture.
   A sore finger pricks.
8. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become sharp; to erect into a point; to raise, as something pointed; said especially of the ears of an animal, such as a horse or dog; and usually followed by up.
   The dog's ears pricked up at the sound of a whistle.
   The courser … pricks up his ears.
9. (horticulture) Usually in the form prick out: to plant (seeds or seedlings) in holes made in soil at regular intervals.
   Seed should be sown thinly and evenly to enable seedlings to be pricked out without disturbing those that have just emerged. If there is space, seedlings should be pricked out individually, either into small pots or module trays. 6 July 2002, Carol Klein, “Coming up primroses”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening), archived from the original on 2013-02-15
   All three germinate well in pots and can be pricked out and potted on with no problems. … Grass seeds can be collected as the heads begin to break up. Sow them in late spring, prick out small bundles of seedlings into 7.5cm (3in) pots and transplant them in late May. 22 October 2005, Valerie Bourne, “Self-seeding”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening), archived from the original on 2013-11-24
   Geoff might prefer to "take control": to collect seed and sow it next spring, pricking out a few of the best seedlings, growing them on in pots next summer before planting them out in the autumn. 21 September 2015, Helen Yemm, “How to manage hollyhocks [print version: Hollyhock and elder care, evil weevils, 12 September 2015, page 7]”, in The Daily Telegraph (Gardening), archived from the original on 2015-09-25
10. (transitive) To incite, stimulate, goad.
11. (intransitive, archaic) To urge one's horse on; to ride quickly.
12. To affect with sharp pain; to sting, as with remorse.
13. (transitive) To make acidic or pungent.
14. (intransitive) To become sharp or acid; to turn sour, as wine.
15. To aim at a point or mark.
16. (obsolete, usually as prick up) to dress or adorn; to prink.