goad

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

goad, n. [AS. gād; perh. akin to AS. gār a dart, and E. gore. See Gore, v. t.].

 A pointed instrument used to urge on a beast; hence, any necessity that urges or stimulates.  [1913 Webster]
"The daily goad urging him to the daily toil."  [1913 Webster]

goad, v. t. 

 To prick; to drive with a goad; hence, to urge forward, or to rouse by anything pungent, severe, irritating, or inflaming; to stimulate.  [1913 Webster]
"That temptation that doth goad us on."

Syn. -- To urge; stimulate; excite; arouse; irritate; incite; instigate.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

goad, n. & v.
--n.
1 a spiked stick used for urging cattle forward.
2 anything that torments, incites, or stimulates.
--v.tr.
1 urge on with a goad.
2 (usu. foll. by on, into) irritate; stimulate (goaded him into retaliating; goaded me on to win).

Etymology

OE gad, rel. to Lombard gaida arrowhead f. Gmc

THESAURUS

goad

actuate, animate, assault, bear, bear upon, boost, buck, bull, bulldoze, bump, bump against, bunt, butt, butt against, cage, catalyst, coerce, compel, compulsion, corral, cram, crowd, desire, dig, drive, drive on, drove, egg on, elbow, exhort, flog, force, forward, gad, gadfly, give an impetus, give momentum, herd, hurtle, hustle, impel, impetus, impulse, impulsion, incentive, incitation, incite, incitement, instigate, jab, jam, jog, joggle, jolt, jostle, lash, lust, motivate, motivation, move, needle, nudge, oxgoad, passion, pile drive, poke, power, press, prick, prod, prompt, propel, punch, punch cattle, push, put in motion, ram, ram down, rattle, ride herd on, round up, rowel, run, run against, set agoing, set going, set in motion, shake, shepherd, shoulder, shove, sic, spur, stimulant, sting, stress, tamp, thrust, urge, whip, whip on, whiplash, wrangle, zeal

ROGET THESAURUS

goad

Motive

N motive, springs of action, wellsprings of action, reason, ground, call, principle, by end, by purpose, mainspring, primum mobile, keystone, the why and the wherefore, pro and con, reason why, secret motive, arriere pensee, intention, inducement, consideration, attraction, loadstone, magnet, magnetism, magnetic force, allectation, allective, temptation, enticement, agacerie, allurement, witchery, bewitchment, bewitchery, charm, spell, fascination, blandishment, cajolery, seduction, seducement, honeyed words, voice of the tempter, song of the Sirens forbidden fruit, golden apple, persuasibility, persuasibleness, attractability, impressibility, susceptibility, softness, persuasiveness, attractiveness, tantalization, influence, prompting, dictate, instance, impulse, impulsion, incitement, incitation, press, instigation, provocation, inspiration, persuasion, suasion, encouragement, advocacy, exhortation, advice, solicitation, lobbyism, pull, incentive, stimulus, spur, fillip, whip, goad, ankus, rowel, provocative, whet, dram, bribe, lure, decoy, decoy duck, bait, trail of a red herring, bribery and corruption, sop, sop for Cerberus, prompter, tempter, seducer, seductor, instigator, firebrand, incendiary, Siren, Circe, agent provocateur, lobbyist, impulsive, motive, suasive, suasory, persuasive, persuasory, hortative, hortatory, protreptical, inviting, tempting suasive, suasory, seductive, attractive, fascinating, provocative, induced, disposed, persuadable, spellbound, instinct with, smitten with, infatuated, inspired, by, because, therefore, from this motive, from that motive, for this reason, for that reason, for, by reason of, for the sake of, count of, out of, from, as, forasmuch as, for all the world, on principle, fax mentis incendium gloriae, temptation hath a music for all ears, to beguile many and be beguiled by one.

VB induce, move, draw, draw on, bring in its train, give an impulse, to, inspire, put up to, prompt, call up, attract, beckon, stimulate, spirit up, inspirit, rouse, arouse, animate, incite, foment, provoke, instigate, set on, actuate, act upon, work upon, operate upon, encourage, pat on the back, pat on the shoulder, clap on the back, clap on the shoulder, influence, weigh with, bias, sway, incline, dispose, predispose, turn the scale, inoculate, lead by the nose, have influence with, have influence over, have influence upon, exercise influence with, exercise influence over, exercise influence upon, go round, come round one, turn the head, magnetize, lobby, persuade, prevail with, prevail upon, overcome, carry, bring round to one's senses, bring to one's senses, draw over, win over, gain over, come over, talk over, procure, enlist, engage, invite, court, tempt, seduce, overpersuade, entice, allure, captivate, fascinate, bewitch, carry away, charm, conciliate, wheedle, coax, lure, inveigle, tantalize, cajole, tamper with, bribe, suborn, grease the palm, bait with a silver hook, gild the pill, make things pleasant, put a sop into the pan, throw a sop to, bait the hook, enforce, force, impel, propel, whip, lash, goad, spur, prick, urge, egg on, hound, hurry on, drag, exhort, advise, call upon, press, advocate, set an example, set the fashion, keep in countenance, be persuaded, yield to temptation, come round, concede, obey a call, follow advice, follow the bent, follow the dictates of, act on principle.