From Middle English gode, from Old English gād, from Proto-Germanic *gaidō (compare Old Norse gedda, lng gaida), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰey- (compare Old Irish gath, Sanskrit हिन्वति, हिनोति, हेति).

• (RP) IPA: /ɡəʊd/
• (America) IPA: /ɡoʊd/

goad (plural goads)

1. A long, pointed stick used to prod animals.
   • 1856 December, [Thomas Babington] Macaulay, “Samuel Johnson”, in T[homas] F[lower] E[llis], editor, The Miscellaneous Writings and Speeches of Lord Macaulay, new edition, London: Longman, Green, Reader, & Dyer, published 1871, →OCLC ↗:

     the daily goad urging him to the daily toil

2. (figurative) That which goads or incites; a stimulus.

• French: aiguillon
• German: Stachelstock
• Italian: pungolo
• Russian: прут
• Spanish: picana, puya, aguijada

goad (goads, present participle goading; simple past and past participle goaded)

1. To prod with a goad.
2. To encourage or stimulate.
3. To incite or provoke.

   goading a boy to fight

• French: aiguillonner
• German: anstacheln, antreiben
• Italian: pungolare
• Russian: подгоня́ть

• German: anspornen, anstacheln
• Russian: подгоня́ть

• French: provoquer
• German: reizen, aufreizen, anstacheln
• Portuguese: incitar, provocar, atiçar
• Russian: подстрека́ть
• Spanish: picar la cresta (Mexico, informal)

1. Surname.