needling
noun
- The act of annoying
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈnid(ə)lɪŋ/
noun
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *-tlom Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₁tlom Proto-Germanic *nēþlą Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-Germanic *nēþlō Proto-West Germanic *nāþlu Old English nǣdl Middle English nedle English needle English -ing English needling From needle + -ing.
- The act of one who needles or annoys.
“[…] it is a steady drip drip of small imperceptible needlings and irritations, coming day after day between a man and his wife, […]”
verb
Etymology: Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- Proto-Indo-European *-tḗr Proto-Indo-European *-trom Proto-Indo-European *-tlom Proto-Indo-European *(s)néh₁tlom Proto-Germanic *nēþlą Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Germanic *-ō Proto-Germanic *nēþlō Proto-West Germanic *nāþlu Old English nǣdl Middle English nedle English needle English -ing English needling From needle + -ing.
- present participle and gerund of needle