goad
A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.
Noun
- A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.
- the daily goad urging him to the daily toil - 1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition,...
- That which goads or incites; a stimulus.
- I might have been an unfortunate little bull in a Spanish arena, I got so smartingly touched up by these moral goads. - 1860 December – 1861 August, Charles Dickens, chapter IV, in Great Expectations […], volume I,...
Origin
From Middle English gode, from Old English gād (“goad”), from Proto-Germanic *gaidō (compare Old Norse gedda (“pike (fish)”), Lombardic gaida (“spear”)), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey- (compare Old Irish gath (“spear”), Sanskrit हिन्वति (hinvati), हिनोति (hinoti, “to urge on, throw”), हेति (heti, “missile, projectile”)). Doublet of gad and yard; see also xyston.
Forms
Derived
cattle goad geddock goader goadlike goadman goadster goad stick oxgoad
Verb
- To prod with a goad.
- To encourage or stimulate.
- To incite or provoke.
- goading a boy to fight
Synonyms: actuate spur abet goose light a fire under send sting bring about cheer draw drive encourage egg on engender evoke excite foment goad grill ignite impel incite induce inflame