needle
n.— «There was, to use the sporting pros’ shorthand, needle—and plenty of it. The most famous incident came when Kosmina and then-Sydney coach Pierre Littbarski each let the other know exactly what they thought of them in the tunnel before the second leg of the semi-final.» —“Lazaridis will be ready for Socceroos” by Aaron Timms Sydney Morning Herald (Australia) Aug. 8, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
Unwrap the name of a candy bar, and you just might find a story inside. For instance, one chewy treat found in many a checkout lane is named after a family’s beloved horse. And: 50 years ago in the United States, some Latino elementary...
Book recommendations and the art of apology. Martha and Grant share some good reads, including an opinionated romp through English grammar, a Spanish-language adventure novel, an account of 19th-century dictionary wars, and a gorgeously illustrated...
The Macquarie Dictionary has related definitions for needle as other parts of speech: “adjective…Colloquial involving unpleasantness or aggression: a needle game” and “give the needle to, Colloquial to behave aggressively towards.”