From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprickleprick‧le1 /ˈprɪkəl/ noun [countable] 1 HBPHBAa long thin sharp point on the skin of some animals or the surface of some plants2 FEEL HOT/COLD/TIRED ETCif you feel a prickle of fear, anger, or excitement, you feel slightly afraid, angry, or excited in a way that makes your skin feel slightly cold and uncomfortableprickle of She felt a prickle of fear as she realized that she was alone.
Examples from the Corpus
prickle• prickles of perspiration• Kathleen felt a prickle between her shoulderblades and knew the camera was approaching.• The blanket rubbed his tender back, setting up a prickle of pain.• They lack the sharp spines but are covered with fine prickles that are evident when the puffer puffs up.• There was none of that back-of-the-neck prickle of fear and guilt associated with encountering the zone patrols back at Taler's Bump.prickleprickle2 verb 1 [intransitive, transitive]FEEL HOT/COLD/TIRED ETC if something prickles your skin, it makes it sting slightly A cold breeze prickled his face. His hair prickled my neck.prickle on He felt sweat prickle on his forehead.2 [intransitive]MIFEEL HOT/COLD/TIRED ETC if your skin prickles, it begins to sting slightly Her skin was prickling uncomfortably.3 [intransitive] British English if your eyes prickle, they sting slightly because you are going to cry She felt her eyes prickle. ‘It was awful, ’ she whispered. My eyes prickled with tears.4 [intransitive] if you prickle, you feel slightly angry, excited, or afraidprickle with The thought of meeting him made her prickle with excitement.prickle at She felt herself prickle (=become angry) at his tone of voice.→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
prickle• A cold weight suddenly slid down his back, and his hair prickled.• His beard smelled of cigar, and prickled.• For an instant, Bowman felt the skin prickling at the base of his scalp.• She prickled at the implication that she had led a soft and protected life.• Phoebe felt the tension prickling her belly as she lay down again.• She could feel the hair prickling the back of her neck.• I grabbed Janir and backed up the slope, the adrenaline prickling the ends of my fingers and toes.• She glanced at her fingertips as they prickled with stickiness - what had they picked up?• Is there something riding in the air that you feel on your body, prickling your skin like warm sweat?Origin prickle1 Old English pricle 