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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

goad

Verb

IPA /ɡəʊd/

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Meaning in plain English

To provoke someone into reacting by repeatedly annoying or challenging them.

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Pronunciation

goad/ɡəʊd/

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  1. Repeated teasing or challenges

  2. The person feels provoked

  3. They react or argue

To goad someone into an argument is to provoke them through irritating pressure.

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  1. His brother kept goading him into an argument.
  2. The speaker refused to be goaded into making a personal attack.

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To provoke someone into reacting by repeatedly annoying or challenging them.
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goad — To provoke someone into reacting by repeatedly annoying or challenging them.

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To provoke someone into reacting by repeatedly annoying or challenging them.

Compare: His brother kept goading him into an argument.

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Word origin

Related to Old English gad, a word of Germanic origin.

Did you know?

Goad someone into doing something is a common pattern.

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goad

/ɡəʊd/ (Verb)

“Goad usually suggests irritating pressure. It is not a neutral substitute for encourage.”

englishskillstudio.com