Real Dictionary

needle
countable noun: A needle is a small, very thin piece of polished metal which is used for sewing. It has a sharp point at one end and a hole in the other for a thread to go through.
countable noun: A needle is a thin hollow metal rod with a sharp point, which is part of a medical instrument called a syringe. It is used to put a drug into someone's body, or to take blood out.
countable noun: A needle is a thin metal rod with a point which is put into a patient's body during acupuncture.
countable noun: Knitting needles are thin sticks that are used for knitting. They are usually made of plastic or metal and have a point at one end.
countable noun: On a record player, the needle is the small pointed device that touches the record and picks up the sound signals.
countable noun: On an instrument which measures something such as speed or weight, the needle is the long strip of metal or plastic on the dial that moves backwards and forwards, showing the measurement.

needle in American English
a small, slender piece of steel with a sharp point at one end and a hole for thread at the other, used for sewing by hand or for surgical sutures
noun: a small, slender, rodlike instrument, usually of polished steel, with a sharp point at one end and an eye or hole for thread at the other, for passing thread through cloth to make stitches in sewing

needle in British English
noun: a pointed slender piece of metal, usually steel, with a hole or eye in it through which thread is passed for sewing