Smarting

adj, noun, verb

Definitions

Adjective
  1. 1
    Painful, sore.

    "My arm is still smarting from where the ball hit it."

  2. 2
    Experiencing emotional pain or embarrassment. figuratively
Noun
  1. 1
    A sensation that smarts or stings. countable, uncountable

    "Strong they are; for they trample upon our light, the penalties of laws divine and human; yea, and the smartings of our own conscience."

  2. 2
    a kind of pain such as that caused by a wound or a burn or a sore wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    present participle and gerund of smart form-of, gerund, participle, present

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart + -ing.

Etymology 2

From Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart + -ing.

Etymology 3

From Middle English smertyng, smertinge, from Old English smeortung, smertung (“smarting, itching”), equivalent to smart + -ing.

Next best steps

Mini challenge

Unscramble this word: smarting