prod

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prod / präd/ • v. (prod·ded , prod·ding ) [tr.] poke (someone) with a finger, foot, or pointed object: he prodded her in the ribs to stop her snoring | [intr.] a woman prods at a tiger with a stick. ∎  stimulate or persuade (someone who is reluctant or slow) to do something: he has been trying to prod the White House into launching an antipoverty program.• n. 1. a poke with a finger, foot, or pointed object: he gave the wire netting an experimental prod. ∎  an act of stimulating or reminding someone to do something: he'll need a little prod to get back to the task at hand. 2. a pointed implement, typically one discharging an electric current and used as a goad: a cattle prod.DERIVATIVES: prod·der n.