pinprick

American  

[pin-prik] / ˈpɪnˌprɪk /

noun

1. any minute puncture made by a pin or the like.

2. a negligible irritation or annoyance.

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pinprick British  

/ ˈpɪnˌprɪk /

noun

1. a slight puncture made by or as if by a pin

2. a small irritation

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verb

1. (tr) to puncture with or as if with a pin

Etymology

Origin of pinprick

First recorded in 1745–55; pin + prick

Example Sentences

A brisk walk home would dispel the little pinpricks of unease at the edges of my mind.

From Literature

“What happened to your hands?” she asked, tapping the pinpricks.

From Literature

Tiny holes—barely noticeable pinpricks—have been poked in or above certain letters, allowing the light to shine through.

From Literature

The same thick darkness of the door swallowed her for a moment before pinpricks of light like stars appeared, as if she were adrift in space.

From Literature

The domed blue ceiling is mottled with pinpricks of shining light, like stars emerging in the darkness.

From Los Angeles Times