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prick1
1 [transitive] to make a small hole in something using something sharp : Prick the sausages before you grill them.
Prick the sausages before you grill them. prick yourself/prick your finger (=accidentally make a hole in your skin) She had pricked her finger on a rose thorn.
She had pricked her finger on a rose thorn.2 [intransitive and transitive] if something pricks a part of your body, or if it pricks, you feel small sharp pains [↪ prickle]: Angry tears pricked her eyes. a curious pricking sensation
Angry tears pricked her eyes.a curious pricking sensation3 if something pricks someone's conscience or their conscience pricks them, they feel guilty or ashamed : Her conscience pricked her as she told the lie.
prick somebody's conscience
Her conscience pricked her as she told the lie.4 if an animal pricks up its ears, it raises them to listen to a sound : The rabbit stopped suddenly, pricking up its ears.
prick (up) its ears
The rabbit stopped suddenly, pricking up its ears.5 if you prick up your ears or your ears prick up, you listen carefully because you have heard something interesting : Jay pricked up his ears when I mentioned a vacation.
prick (up) your ears
Jay pricked up his ears when I mentioned a vacation.prick sth↔ out
phrasal verbDLG to place young plants in soil after you have grown them from seed
