Meaning

• A fine, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections, etc.

  "The seamstress threaded the needle to sew on a button."

• Any slender, pointed object resembling a needle, such as a pointed crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.

• A fine measurement indicator on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle.

  "The needle on the fuel gauge pointed to empty."

• A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.

  "Ziggy bought some diamond needles for his hi-fi phonograph."

• A needle-like leaf found on some conifers.

• A strong beam resting on props, used as a temporary support during building repairs.

• (usually preceded by the) The death penalty carried out by lethal injection.

• A text string that is searched for within another string. (see: needle in a haystack)

Meaning

• To pierce with a needle, especially for sewing or acupuncture.

• To tease in order to provoke; to poke fun at.

  "Billy needled his sister incessantly about her pimples."

• To form, or be formed, in the shape of a needle.

  "to needle crystals"