sting
noun
[ stɪŋ ]
• a small sharp-pointed organ at the end of the abdomen of bees, wasps, ants, and scorpions, capable of inflicting a painful or dangerous wound by injecting poison.
• a carefully planned operation, typically one involving deception.
• "five blackmailers were jailed last week after they were snared in a police sting"
Similar:
swindle,
fraud,
piece of deception,
trickery,
cheat,
bit of sharp practice,
rip-off,
con,
con trick,
diddle,
fiddle,
bunco,
sting
verb
• wound or pierce with a sting.
• "he was stung by a jellyfish"
• swindle or exorbitantly overcharge (someone).
• "I had to buy some boxer shorts at the last minute and got stung for £42.50!"
Similar:
swindle,
defraud,
cheat,
fleece,
gull,
rip off,
screw,
do,
rook,
diddle,
take for a ride,
skin,
clip,
gyp,
chisel,
gouge,
bunco,
rush,
Origin:
Old English sting (noun), stingan (verb), of Germanic origin.
sting in the tail
• an unexpected, typically unpleasant or problematic end to something.
• "the Budget comes with a sting in the tail—future tax increases"
