Know Your English (July 2001)

Know your English

WHAT IS the meaning of ``sting operation''?

A sting operation is a well-planned scheme used by law enforcement agencies to entrap a criminal. It usually involves a lot of undercover work. Often the term is reduced to ``sting''. Here are a few examples.
It was a well-planned sting operation.
The sting, as expected, went off without a hitch.
The sting required a lot of manpower.
The word ``sting'' has another meaning as well. It is often used in informal contexts to mean ``to cheat or overcharge someone''. (Remember the Robert Redford and Paul Newman movie called ``The Sting''?) Here are a few examples.
The fruit vendor tried to sting me.
The supermarket next to my house makes it a point to sting its customers.
The mechanic tried to sting me, but I put him in his place.

Source:
The Hindu daily, Tuesday, July10, 2001

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