Standard Lemma guide

prod

noun · verb · 16 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /pɹɒd/
  • UK: /pɹɔd/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /pɹɑd/
  • rhymes with -ɒd
  • General-American: /pɹɑd/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /pɹɒd/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • CMU ARPABET: P R AA1 D Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A device (now often electrical) used to goad livestock into moving.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A prick or stab with such a pointed instrument.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A poke.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • "It's your turn," she reminded me, giving me a prod on the shoulder.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A light kind of crossbow; a prodd.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Clipping of production (“the live environment”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, slang, uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, programming, sciences

Examples

  • We've hit ten million users in prod today.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

noun

Meaning 6

A production; a created work.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, slang

Topics: computing, demoscene, engineering, lifestyle, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • Check our BBS for the latest prods.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

noun

Meaning 7

Alternative letter-case form of Prod (“protestant”).

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, UK, alt-of, derogatory, slang, sometimes

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

A Protestant, (as termed by Roman Catholics), that is in the context of their religious beliefs, or those who have been born in the Protestant tradition, or sometimes those implied to be Protestant by their political ideology of Irish unionism or Ulster loyalism.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Ireland, UK, derogatory, slang, slur, sometimes

Examples

  • "I don't want my daughter marrying a dirty Prod," he said.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

verb

Meaning 9

To poke, to push, to touch.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

10

verb

Meaning 10

To encourage, to prompt.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: informal, transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

11

verb

Meaning 11

To prick with a goad.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

12

noun

Meaning 12

a pointed instrument that is used to prod into a state of motion

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: goad

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: device

Narrower terms: ankus, spur, gad

13

noun

Meaning 13

a verbalization that encourages you to attempt something

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the ceaseless prodding got on his nerves

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: goad, goading, prodding, urging, spur, spurring

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: encouragement

14

verb

Meaning 14

poke or thrust abruptly

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • he jabbed his finger into her ribs

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: jab, stab, poke, dig

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: thrust

15

verb

Meaning 15

urge on; cause to act

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • The other children egged the boy on, but he did not want to throw the stone through the window

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: incite, egg on

Antonyms: none provided

Narrower terms: goose, halloo, goad

16

verb

Meaning 16

to push against gently

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • She nudged my elbow when she saw her friend enter the restaurant

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: nudge, poke at

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: push, force

Narrower terms: jog, elbow

History

Etymology

Alteration of earlier brod (perhaps through influence of poke; compare prog), from Middle English brodden (“to goad, incite, urge; to sprout”), from brod (“goad, nail; shoot, sprout”), from Old Norse broddr (“shaft, spike, thorn”), from Proto-Germanic *bruzdaz. Cognate with Icelandic broddur, Danish brod. Doublet of brad. Or, from or influenced by sound symbolism.

Shortened from production.

Clipping of Protestant, as pronounced in an accent with flapping.

Across languages

Translations

70 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: остен (osten) — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Finnish: piiska — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Finnish: sähköpiiska — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • German: Stachelstock — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • German: Treibestock — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Italian: picca — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Spanish: aguijada — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Spanish: picana — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Spanish: garrocha — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Swedish: elfösare — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Ottoman Turkish: اوكندره (üğendire, üvendire) — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Ottoman Turkish: كوندر (günder, gönder) — device used to goad livestock into moving
  • Bulgarian: бодвам (bodvam) — to poke
  • Bulgarian: муша (muša) — to poke
  • Chinese Mandarin: 刺 (cì) — to poke
  • Chinese Mandarin: 戳 (chuō) — to poke
  • Chinese Mandarin: 捅 (tǒng) — to poke
  • Dutch: duwen — to poke
  • Dutch: porren — to poke
  • Esperanto: palpi — to poke
  • French: pousser — to poke
  • French: tâter — to poke
  • German: stoßen — to poke
  • German: anstupsen — to poke
  • Greek: σκουντώ (skountó) — to poke
  • Ancient Greek: σκουντάω (skountáō) — to poke
  • Italian: pungolare — to poke
  • Italian: spronare — to poke
  • Japanese: 突く (tsuku) — to poke
  • Japanese: 突き刺す (tsukisasu) — to poke
  • Latin: pungo — to poke
  • Norwegian: stikke — to poke
  • Portuguese: cutucar — to poke
  • Russian: ты́кать (týkatʹ) — to poke
  • Russian: коло́ть (kolótʹ) — to poke
  • Russian: толка́ть (tolkátʹ) — to poke
  • Scottish Gaelic: stob — to poke
  • Spanish: hincar — to poke
  • Swedish: sticka — to poke
  • Ottoman Turkish: دورتمك (dürtmek) — to poke
  • Ukrainian: штрикати (štrykaty) — to poke
  • Ukrainian: колоти (koloty) — to poke
  • Bulgarian: подтиквам (podtikvam) — to encourage
  • Bulgarian: подстрекавам (podstrekavam) — to encourage
  • Chinese Mandarin: 促使 (cùshǐ) — to encourage
  • Chinese Mandarin: 激勵 /激励 (jīlì) — to encourage
  • Dutch: aanmoedigen — to encourage
  • French: encourager — to encourage
  • German: anspornen — to encourage
  • German: ermutigen — to encourage
  • Italian: incoraggiare — to encourage
  • Italian: stimolare — to encourage
  • Portuguese: aguilhoar — to encourage
  • Russian: побужда́ть (pobuždátʹ) — to encourage
  • Russian: подгоня́ть (podgonjátʹ) — to encourage
  • Russian: подстрека́ть (podstrekátʹ) — to encourage
  • Spanish: aguijar — to encourage
  • Spanish: aguizgar — to encourage
  • Spanish: aguzar — to encourage
  • Spanish: puyar — to encourage
  • Tocharian B: wārw- — to encourage
  • Ukrainian: підштовхувати (pidštovxuvaty) — to encourage
  • Ukrainian: підганяти (pidhanjaty) — to encourage
  • Bulgarian: мушкам (muškam) — to prick with a goad
  • German: anstacheln — to prick with a goad
  • German: antreiben — to prick with a goad
  • Spanish: aguijar — to prick with a goad
  • Spanish: aguijonear — to prick with a goad
  • Ottoman Turkish: دورتمك (dürtmek) — to prick with a goad
  • Ukrainian: штрикати (štrykaty) — to prick with a goad