poking with a small sharp point; making small holes with something pointed, or causing a slight stinging sensation.
From 'prick' (Old English 'priccan,' possibly from Germanic roots or Old Norse 'prikka'). The word has been used since medieval times for small puncturing actions.
Medieval witch trials included 'pricking tests' where people were pricked to find 'witch marks' (areas with no pain)—it's one of history's saddest examples of pseudoscience being used to justify violence!
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