n. That which pricks; a sharp-pointed instrument; a prickle. n. A small tool, resembling in form and use a fid or marlinespike, with a wooden handle, used by sail-makersn. A piercing implement used in a machine for manufacturing card-foundations.n. A priming-needle of pointed copper wire, used in blasting. It is inserted in the charge of powder centrally with reference to the drilled hole, and the tamping is packed around it. On its withdrawal a hole is left, into which fine powder is poured, and a fuse is then connected with the top of the hole.n. In gunnery, a sharp wire introduced through the touch-hole of a gun to pierce the cartridge, thus opening a communication between the powder in the cartridge and the priming-powder when the gun is primed.n. An implement for extracting primers from spent central-fire cartridges for small-arms, when the cases are to be reloaded.n. A long iron rod with a sharp point, a kind of pointed crowbar, used in some of the English coal-mines for bringing down the coal from overhead, and for some other purposes.n. One who pricks.n. One who tested whether women were witches by sticking pins into them; a witch-finder.n. In ichthyology, the basking-shark.n.