goad
/ɡəʊd/ (bre, ipa) · /ɡəʊd/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈgōd/ (ame, mw) · /ɡoʊd/ (ame, ipa)
goad — verb
- goadpresent simple I / you / we / they
- goadshe / she / it
- goadedpast simple
- goading-ing form
1. to deliberately annoy or upset someone so much that they react or do something t
to deliberately annoy or upset someone so much that they react or do something they might not otherwise do — for example, goading a rival into a fight, or goading a quiet student into speaking up in class.
Emma's classmates kept calling her lazy, trying to goad her into proving them wrong.
goad + someone + into + -ing (proving)
The other driver shouted insults, hoping to goad Kwame into an angry response.
Aponi refused to let the criticism goad her into quitting the project.
The army used the attack to goad enemy troops out of their hiding place.
Carlos felt his older brother was trying to goad him by hiding his favourite video game.
- provoke
stronger and more focused on anger; 'goad' implies a slower, more persistent build-up
- spur
more positive — suggests encouragement rather than annoyance
- needle
informal British English; milder, often done playfully
- egg on
informal phrasal verb; usually about pushing someone into a risky or bold action
- discourage
to make someone less willing to act
- calm
to reduce someone's urge to react
文法句型
goad + someone + into + -ing
goad + someone + into + noun
用法筆記
Often used with 'into' + gerund ('goad someone into doing something'). The person being goaded is usually reluctant or resistant, so the goader must apply persistent pressure. This sense is much more common than the literal meaning of prodding an animal.
常見錯誤
2. to push or poke an animal such as a cow or ox with a pointed stick, a sharp tool
to push or poke an animal such as a cow or ox with a pointed stick, a sharp tool, or even a hand gesture, in order to make the animal move or change direction.
The farmer took a long wooden stick and goaded the ox toward the gate.
goad + animal + direction (toward the gate)
In the old days, cattle drivers used sharp sticks to goad their animals forward.
Takoda watched his uncle goad the stubborn mule across the rocky field.
The shepherd rarely needed to goad his sheep because they followed him willingly.
文法句型
goad + animal + direction
goad + animal + with + instrument
用法筆記
Literal, physical sense. Today it is mostly found in historical writing, rural contexts, or figurative extensions. The instrument (goad, stick, or even an elbow) can be stated or implied by context.
常見錯誤
goad — noun
- goadsingular
- goadsplural
1. a thing that pushes a person to take action, usually by making them feel annoyed
a thing that pushes a person to take action, usually by making them feel annoyed, impatient, or determined to prove something — for example, a taunt that drives an athlete to train harder, or a low grade that motivates a student to study more.
The promise of a cash prize was the goad that made Yuki finish her homework early.
Thomas used the team's recent loss as a goad to train harder every single morning.
a goad to + infinitive (to train)
For the lazy student, the threat of repeating the year was a powerful goad.
Nala treated her sister's success as a goad to improve her own skills.
- deterrent
something that discourages rather than motivates
文法句型
a goad to do something
a goad for something
用法筆記
Often appears in the structure 'as a goad to [do something]'. Can be positive (a motivating goal) or negative (a taunt or threat). Unlike the verb, the noun focuses on the thing that motivates, not the act of annoying.
2. a long stick with a sharp end, used especially in farming to make cattle, oxen,
a long stick with a sharp end, used especially in farming to make cattle, oxen, or other animals move or change direction.
The old goad had a sharp iron tip and a handle worn smooth by use.
physical description of a goad
Farmers in the region still make goads from straight branches of oak wood.
Mei found a wooden goad hanging on a nail just inside the dusty barn door.
The goad was as long as a walking stick but much sharper at the tip.
文法句型
a goad
with a goad
用法筆記
The original concrete meaning. In modern everyday speech, people rarely use 'goad' for the stick itself; the figurative senses (the verb and noun sense 1) are far more common.