Make Your Point > Archived Issues > GOAD

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explore the archives: Today's "goad" is all about metaphorically poking people with sticks to make them react or move, as if they're cows or oxen. It might remind you of the one-syllable word "____," meaning to use your power and control over people and make them suffer. It's also something that you literally do to animals like oxen. make your point with... "GOAD" A goad is a sharp stick for poking animals like cattle, so they go where you want them to go. So, to goad people is to bother them until they finally react in some strong way, as if you're poking them with a stick until they either do what you want or just lose control. Pronunciation: GODE Part of speech: Transitive verb. (Like "eat," "try," and "want," all transitive verbs do something to an object. You eat a banana, try a game, and want a new phone. Likewise, you goad someone.) Other forms: goaded, goading How to use it: "Goad" is the word you want when someone is being driven toward something in an irritating, unavoidable way, a way that can't be properly described by words like "encourage," "persuade," "convince," or "compel." Talk about goading someone, goading someone along, goading someone into doing something, or goading someone into reacting a certain way. You can also goad someone to a certain feeling or reaction: "Insults goaded her to fury." And you can goad one thing into/to another thing: "bitterness goaded into rebellion" or, stated differently, "goading bitterness into rebellion." Often you're goaded by someone or something: "Goaded by their doubts, he pressed onward." You can also be goaded on by something, goaded on with something, or just plain goaded on: "She's goaded on by all this mindless public support." However you use the word, keep in mind the metaphor it indicates: that someone (or perhaps something) is being poked along with a stick, essentially forced toward some kind of action or reaction. examples: Goaded by petty social complaints, she blogs about them endlessly. Can we please stop making posts like that go viral? Good debate moderators don't goad participants into attacking opponents. They focus on the issues. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "goad" means when you can explain it without saying "pointy stick" or "force along." try it out: Think of a time someone annoyingly pressured you, and fill in the blanks: "I won't be goaded by (someone) into (doing something in particular)." Example: "I won't be goaded by salespeople into making a hasty decision." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. When it comes to word roots, everybody knows what some of them mean, like “ambi/amphi” (“both”) and “circum” (“around”) and “hetero” (“different”). This knowledge helps you explain why words like “automobile” and “autobiography” look similar—in this case, it’s because they both involve the concept of “self.” But what about some of the less obvious roots? Could you explain, for example, why “contain” looks so much like “sustain” by defining “tain”? This month, we're exploring the meanings underlying common words you know. You can usually figure these out by looking for an extremely basic concept common to all the words in each group. We’ll start with easier, more obvious roots and move on to trickier ones as the month goes on! Yesterday's question:  In abduct, conduct, deduce, educate, induce, and seduce, what does “duc” mean? Answer: To lead.  Try this one today: In accord, concord, cordial, core, and discord, what does “cord” mean? review today's word: 1. The opposite of GOAD is A. PROD B. THWART C. DEVELOP 2.  _____, they refuse to be goaded by insults. A. Vigilant B. Sensitive C. Unflappable Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. B 2. C