prodding

American  

[prod-ing] / ˈprɒd ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of poking or jabbing with or as if with something pointed.

   Finally, after five minutes and some prodding with a stick, the cow moved out of the road.

2. the act of trying to incite someone to action, as if by poking; nagging or urging.

   The National Research Council finally succeeded in its assigned mission—albeit with some prodding from a public interest group and the courts.

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adjective

1. poking, urging, or nagging.

   It wasn’t until two days later, under the prodding questions of close relatives, that she revealed the true source of the ring.

Etymology

Origin of prodding

First recorded in 1840–45; prod + -ing ¹ for the noun senses; prod + -ing ² for the adjective sense

Example Sentences

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

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

From Literature

She was prodding the cheeses with her bony fingers, sniffing them one by one.

From Literature

There are close-ups of hands kneading dough, a snail sliming its way up a window and Cathy prodding a jellied fish with her finger.

From Los Angeles Times

City captain Silva started the game after recovering from a recent hamstring issue and was the catalyst for his side's comeback by prodding in the equaliser from a Haaland knockdown.

From BBC

Related Words

• goad
• motivate
• prompt
• propel
• provoke
• remind
• spur
• stimulate