word-vault/dist/data/cards/ne/needle.json

A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.

{
    "term": "needle",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b1",
    "image": "data/images/ro/rope_thread_string.png",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a small thin piece of steel that you use for sewing, with a point at one end and a hole for the thread at the other",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **needle and thread**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the eye *(= hole)* of a needle"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Can you thread this needle?"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a packet of fine needles"
                },
                {
                    "text": "She sewed it on with needle and thread."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The needle went in easily."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Thread the needle with a different coloured silk."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["long", "blunt", "sharp"],
                "verb + needle": ["use", "thread"],
                "needle + verb": ["prick somebody/​something"],
                "phrases": [
                    "the eye of a needle",
                    "needle and thread",
                    "a needle in a haystack"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a long thin piece of plastic or metal with a point at one end that you use for knitting. You usually use two together.",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Vera's knitting needles clicked away."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a circular needle"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a needle holding two stitches"
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["long", "blunt", "sharp"],
                "verb + needle": ["use", "thread"],
                "needle + verb": ["prick somebody/​something"],
                "phrases": [
                    "the eye of a needle",
                    "needle and thread",
                    "a needle in a haystack"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a very thin, pointed piece of steel used on the end of a syringe for putting a drug into somebody’s body, or for taking blood out of it",
            "cefr": "b1",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **hypodermic needle**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a needle inserted into the abdomen"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Using dirty needles was a significant factor in the spread of the disease."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He believes that needle exchange schemes encourage drug addiction."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He saw her stick a needle into her arm."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She winced when she felt the needle pierce her skin."
                },
                {
                    "text": "needle exchange programs"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the dangers of sharing needles"
                },
                {
                    "text": "A long needle is used to take a sample of the tumour."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Healthcare"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["hypodermic", "syringe", "injection"],
                "verb + needle": ["inject", "insert", "jab (somebody with)"],
                "needle + verb": ["go in", "pierce something"],
                "needle + noun": ["tip", "exchange", "biopsy"],
                "phrases": ["the prick of a needle"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a thin piece of metal on a scientific instrument that moves to point to the correct measurement or direction",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The compass needle was pointing north."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The needle moved away from the wind."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Wait until the needle settles and is pointing in one direction."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["magnetic", "compass"],
                "needle + verb": ["move", "point"],
                "phrases": ["the needle of a compass"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "the thin, hard, pointed leaf of a pine tree",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "A soft blanket of **pine needles** covered the forest floor."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Plants and trees"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["conifer", "pine"],
                "verb + needle": ["drop", "lose"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "the very small pointed piece of metal that touches a record that is being played in order to produce the sound",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "She lowered the needle onto the record."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The gramophone needle stuck in a groove."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "(to be) very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out something or see what will happen",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I've been on pins and needles all week waiting for the results."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "a thing that is almost impossible to find",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a needle in a haystack."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈniːdl/",
                "audio": "ne/needle/needle__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈniːdl/",
                "audio": "ne/needle/needle__us_2.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Old English nǣdl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naald and German Nadel, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin nere ‘to spin’ and Greek nēma ‘thread’."
}