- 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
- a needle and thread
- the eye (= hole) of a needle
- Can you thread this needle?
- a packet of fine needles
Extra Examples- She sewed it on with needle and thread.
- The needle went in easily.
- Thread the needle with a different coloured silk.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- blunt
- sharp
- …
- use
- thread
- prick somebody/something
- the eye of a needle
- needle and thread
- a needle in a haystack
- …
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- (also knitting needle)a long thin piece of plastic or metal with a point at one end that you use for knitting. You usually use two together.
- Vera's knitting needles clicked away.
- a circular needle
- a needle holding two stitches
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- long
- blunt
- sharp
- …
- use
- thread
- prick somebody/something
- the eye of a needle
- needle and thread
- a needle in a haystack
- …
- 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
- a hypodermic needle
- a needle inserted into the abdomen
- Using dirty needles was a significant factor in the spread of the disease.
Extra ExamplesTopics Healthcareb1- He believes that needle exchange schemes encourage drug addiction.
- He saw her stick a needle into her arm.
- She winced when she felt the needle pierce her skin.
- needle exchange programs
- the dangers of sharing needles
- A long needle is used to take a sample of the tumour.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- hypodermic
- syringe
- injection
- …
- inject
- insert
- jab (somebody with)
- …
- go in
- pierce something
- tip
- exchange
- biopsy
- …
- the prick of a needle
- a thin piece of metal on a scientific instrument that moves to point to the correct measurement or direction
- The compass needle was pointing north.
Extra Examples- The needle moved away from the wind.
- Wait until the needle settles and is pointing in one direction.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- magnetic
- compass
- move
- point
- the needle of a compass
- [usually plural] the thin, hard, pointed leaf of a pine tree
- A soft blanket of pine needles covered the forest floor.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- conifer
- pine
- drop
- lose
- the very small pointed piece of metal that touches a record that is being played in order to produce the sound synonym stylus
- She lowered the needle onto the record.
- The gramophone needle stuck in a groove.
for sewing
for knitting
for drugs
on instrument
on pine tree
on record player
Word OriginOld 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’.
Idioms
See needle in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee needle in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic Englishbe on pins and needles (North American English)
(also (be) on tenterhooks British and North American English)
- (to be) very anxious or excited while you are waiting to find out something or see what will happen
- I've been on pins and needles all week waiting for the results.
a needle in a haystack
- a thing that is almost impossible to find
- Searching for one man in this city is like looking for a needle in a haystack.
Check pronunciation:
needle