needle

Pronunciation: ne'del

Definition:

1. A slender, solid, usually sharp-pointed instrument used for puncturing tissues, suturing, or passing a ligature around or through a vessel.
2. A hollow needle used for injection, aspiration, biopsy, or to guide introduction of a catheter into a vessel or other space.
3. To separate the tissues by means of one or two needles, in the dissection of small parts.
4. To perform discission of a cataract with a knife needle.

[M.E. nedle, fr. A.S. naedl]