German shorthaired pointer

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nee·dle / ˈnēdl/ • n. 1. a very fine slender piece of polished metal with a point at one end and a hole or eye for thread at the other, used in sewing. 2. something resembling a sewing needle in use, shape, or appearance, esp.: ∎  such an instrument used in crafts such as crochet, knitting, and lacemaking. ∎  the pointed hollow end of a hypodermic syringe. ∎  a very fine metal spike used in acupuncture. ∎  a thin, typically metal pointer on a dial, compass, or other instrument. ∎  an etching tool. ∎  the sharp, stiff, slender leaf of a fir or pine tree. ∎  a pointed rock or peak. ∎  a stylus used to play phonograph records. ∎  an obelisk: Cleopatra's Needle. ∎  a steel pin that explodes the cartridge of a breech-loading gun. ∎  Building a beam used as a temporary support during underpinning. • v. [tr.] 1. prick or pierce (something) with or as if with a needle: dust needled his eyes. 2. inf. provoke or annoy (someone), esp. by continual criticism or questioning: I just said that to Charlie to needle him. PHRASES: the eye of a needle a tiny aperture or opening through which it would seem impossible to pass (esp. with reference to Matt. 19:24). give someone the needle inf. provoke or annoy someone: Lady gives him the needle because she knows it isn't true. a needle in a haystack something that is almost impossible to find because it is hidden among so many other things. ORIGIN: Old English nǣdl, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch naald and German Nadel, from an Indo-European root shared by Latin nere ‘to spin’ and Greek nēma ‘thread.’

German shorthaired pointer breed of large sporting dog developed in Germany in the mid-19th cent. It stands about 23 in. (58 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 60 lb (27 kg). Its dense coat of short hair is hard to the touch and is colored solid liver or liver spotted or ticked with white. Intended as a utility dog, the original stock was crossed with several breeds, such as the bloodhound and the English pointer, in order to insure this versatility. Thus, the German shorthaired pointer has been used to hunt both waterfowl and upland game birds, as a retriever on land and water, and to trail such small animals as rabbits and opossums. See dog .