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Synonyms

prod

1 American  
[prod] / prɒd /

verb (used with object)

prodded, prodding

  1. to poke or jab with or as if with something pointed.

    I prodded him with my elbow.

  2. to rouse or incite as if by poking; nag; goad.

    Synonyms:
    excite, prompt, stir, impel

noun

  1. the act of prodding; a poke or jab.

  2. any of various pointed instruments used as a goad, especially an electrified rod that administers a mild shock.

    a cattle prod.
Prod 2 American  
[prod] / prɒd /

noun

Chiefly Ulster Slang: Disparaging and Offensive.

  1. a Protestant, especially an Anglo-Irish Protestant.

prod. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. produce.

  2. produced.

  3. producer.

  4. product.

  5. production.

prod 1 British  
/ prɒd /

verb

  1. to poke or jab with or as if with a pointed object

  2. (tr) to rouse or urge to action

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or an instance of prodding

  2. a sharp or pointed object

  3. a stimulus or reminder

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
prod. 2 British  

abbreviation

  1. produce

  2. produced

  3. product

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Prod 3 British  
/ prɒd /

noun

  1. derogatory another word for Protestant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • prodder noun
  • unprodded adjective

Etymology

Origin of prod1

First recorded in 1525–35; origin uncertain

Origin of Prod2

By shortening; d probably reflects the voicing or flap characteristic of some Ulster accents

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Then we had several days of wondering if Marc Kennedy was prone to leaving a lingering finger or guilty of administering an intentional prod?

From BBC

Its activist investing honcho, James Chadwick, once told a podcast his fund often gets involved at the prodding of a former insider or other person knowledgeable about a particular target company.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Swedes believed Kennedy was repeatedly double-touching some of his stones - releasing the handle at the appropriate time but then giving the stone another little prod with his finger to correct its course.

From BBC

Sweden believed one of the Canadians was repeatedly double-touching, giving the stone another little prod with his finger to correct its course during Friday's round robin match.

From Barron's

Except Lily, who is prodding at a ladybug with a large stick.

From Literature

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.