prodprod1 /prɒd $ prɑːd/ verb (past tense and past participle prodded, present participle prodding) [intransitive, transitive] 
‘Don’t go to sleep,’ she said, prodding me in the ribs.prod at Theo prodded at the dead snake.2to make someone do something by persuading or reminding them that it is necessary, especially when they are lazy or unwillingprod somebody into (doing) something It had prodded Ben into doing something about it. The strike may prod the government into action.—prodding noun [uncountable]: He’s a bright kid, but he needs prodding.
VERB TABLE
prod
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | prod |
| he, she, it | prods | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | prodded |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have prodded |
| he, she, it | has prodded | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had prodded |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will prod |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have prodded |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am prodding |
| he, she, it | is prodding | |
| you, we, they | are prodding | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was prodding |
| you, we, they | were prodding | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been prodding |
| he, she, it | has been prodding | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been prodding |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be prodding |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been prodding |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- His wife prodded him for years before he began writing his first novel.
- Sergeant Thompson raised his stick and prodded the soldier in the chest.
- They walked around him, prodding and pinching him.
- And he will prod the party to think twice about shrinking the scope of government.
- But the Senate, prodded by Hatch and Kennedy, took the proposal further.
- In the second month of the class she began to prod the class toward the intermediate stage.
- Léonie prodded the foam with one finger.
- People gathered round, prodding her for news.
- So Iverson kept prodding them, pulling them, urging them to show they belong.
- The male now carefully monitors the temperature of the mound by prodding his beak into it.
- The surgeon prodded the shivery flesh, searching for the tumour that must be removed.
Longman Language Activatorto push someone or something with your finger, elbow, or with something pointed
to gently push someone with your elbow to get their attention, especially when you do not want anyone else to notice: · Toby nudged my arm. "That's the guy I told you about," he whispered.· Christine nudged me and giggled.
to push someone or something with your finger or with something sharp: · The boys poked the fish with sticks to see if it was still alivepoke somebody in the eye/side/ribs: · Careful with that stick! You nearly poked me in the eye.
to gently push someone or something, using your finger or something such as a stick: · Sergeant Thompson raised his stick and prodded the soldier in the chest.· They walked around him, prodding and pinching him.
to suddenly push your finger or elbow into someone's body, to get their attention or tell them something: · Jenny dug me sharply in the ribs and told me to be quiet.· Edward laughed loudly, digging me in the ribs, wanting me to share the joke.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The strike may prod the government into action.
1to quickly push something or someone with your finger or a pointed object SYN poke: The strike may prod the government into action. ‘Don’t go to sleep,’ she said, prodding me in the ribs.prod at Theo prodded at the dead snake.2to make someone do something by persuading or reminding them that it is necessary, especially when they are lazy or unwillingprod somebody into (doing) something It had prodded Ben into doing something about it. The strike may prod the government into action.—prodding noun [uncountable]: He’s a bright kid, but he needs prodding.