Ray \Ray\, n. [F. raie, L. raia. Cf. Roach.] (Zool.)
   (a) Any one of numerous elasmobranch fishes of the order
       Raiae, including the skates, torpedoes, sawfishes, etc.
   (b) In a restricted sense, any of the broad, flat,
       narrow-tailed species, as the skates and sting rays. See
       Skate.
       [1913 Webster]

   Bishop ray, a yellow-spotted, long-tailed eagle ray
      (Aetobatus narinari syn. Stoasodon narinari) of the
      Southern United States and the West Indies; also called
      the spotted eagle ray and white-spotted eagle ray.

   Butterfly ray, a short-tailed American sting ray
      (Pteroplatea Maclura), having very broad pectoral fins.
      

   Devil ray. See Sea Devil.

   Eagle ray, any large ray of the family Myliobatidae, or
      Aetobatidae. The common European species (Myliobatis
      aquila) is called also whip ray, and miller.

   Electric ray, or Cramp ray, a torpedo.

   Starry ray, a common European skate (Raia radiata).

   Sting ray, any one of numerous species of rays of the
      family Trygonidae having one or more large, sharp,
      barbed dorsal spines on the whiplike tail. Called also
      stingaree.
      [1913 Webster]

Sting \Sting\, n. [AS. sting a sting. See Sting, v. t.]
   1. (Zool.) Any sharp organ of offense and defense, especially
      when connected with a poison gland, and adapted to inflict
      a wound by piercing; as the caudal sting of a scorpion.
      The sting of a bee or wasp is a modified ovipositor. The
      caudal sting, or spine, of a sting ray is a modified
      dorsal fin ray. The term is sometimes applied to the fang
      of a serpent. See Illust. of Scorpion.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Bot.) A sharp-pointed hollow hair seated on a gland which
      secrets an acrid fluid, as in nettles. The points of these
      hairs usually break off in the wound, and the acrid fluid
      is pressed into it.
      [1913 Webster]

   3. Anything that gives acute pain, bodily or mental; as, the
      stings of remorse; the stings of reproach.
      [1913 Webster]

            The sting of death is sin.            --1 Cor. xv.
                                                  56.
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   4. The thrust of a sting into the flesh; the act of stinging;
      a wound inflicted by stinging. "The lurking serpent's
      mortal sting." --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   5. A goad; incitement. --Shak.
      [1913 Webster]

   6. The point of an epigram or other sarcastic saying.
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   Sting moth (Zool.), an Australian moth (Doratifera
      vulnerans) whose larva is armed, at each end of the body,
      with four tubercles bearing powerful stinging organs.

   Sting ray. (Zool.) See under 6th Ray.

   Sting winkle (Zool.), a spinose marine univalve shell of
      the genus Murex, as the European species (Murex
      erinaceus). See Illust. of Murex.
      [1913 Webster]

Sting ray \Sting ray\ or Stingray \Sting"ray`\, n.
   Any one of numerous rays of the family Dasyatidae, syn.
   Trygonidae, having one or more large sharp barbed dorsal
   spines, on the whiplike tail, capable of inflicting severe
   wounds. Some species reach a large size, and some, esp., on
   the American Pacific coast, are very destructive to oysters.
   [Webster 1913 Suppl.]