goad

Compared meaning: push someone to do something (verb).

比较义项：鼓励、激励某人去做某事（动词）。

• encourage

  Neutral-to-positive verb: gives someone confidence or support to act; used in warm, supportive contexts like teaching or parenting; very common, everyday word.

  中性偏正面的动词：通过给予信心或支持来促使某人行动；常用于教学、育儿等充满关怀的语境；是非常常见的日常用词。

  Good teachers encourage students to ask more questions.

  优秀的老师鼓励学生多提问。

• goad 本词

  Stronger, more negative verb: pushes or provokes someone repeatedly, often through teasing or pressure, until they act; implies mild irritation or peer pressure rather than genuine support.

  语气更强、更偏负面的动词：通过反复催逼或挑衅（常带戏弄或施压性质）促使某人行动；暗示的是轻微的刺激或同伴压力，而非真正的支持。

  His friends tried to goad him into joining the race.

  他的朋友们极力怂恿他参加比赛。

Encourage and goad both mean to push someone to do something. Encourage is positive: it gives someone confidence and support to act. Goad is stronger and more negative: it means repeatedly pressuring or provoking someone, often by teasing, until they act.

两个词都表示促使别人去做某事，但态度和方式不同：encourage 是正面的鼓劲，给人信心和支持；goad 则带有不断催逼、施压甚至惹恼对方的意味，往往含轻微负面色彩。这里不比较其他义项。

Compared meaning: something that pushes a person to act (noun).

比较义项：促使行动的刺激或推动力（名词）。

• spur

  Spur names a general condition or motive, often abstract like weather or rivalry, that encourages action; it is neutral-to-positive and commonly follows the pattern 'spur someone to do something.'

  spur 指促使人行动的一般性条件或动机，常常是抽象的事物（如天气、竞争），语气中性偏正面，常用“spur someone to do something”的结构。

  Good weather can spur people to plan outdoor picnics quickly.

  好天气可以促使人们迅速安排户外野餐。

• prod

  Prod describes a direct, often repeated nudge or reminder aimed at one particular person who is slow or unwilling to act; it feels informal and slightly naggy, unlike the broader, neutral spur.

  prod 指针对某个特定的人、直接且往往需要反复进行的催促或提醒，因为对方迟缓或不情愿行动；语气比较口语化，带点唠叨意味，不同于更宽泛、语气中性的 spur。

  She had to prod her brother twice before he got out of bed.

  她不得不催促弟弟两次，他才起床。

• goad 本词

  Goad implies applying strong, often unwelcome pressure or provocation to push a reluctant person into action, sometimes against their better judgment; it carries a more forceful, occasionally negative connotation than spur or prod.

  goad 强调施加较强且常常令人不悦的压力或挑动，迫使不情愿的人采取行动，有时甚至违背他们自己的判断；语气比 spur 或 prod 更强硬，有时带负面色彩。

  His friends tried to goad him into joining the race.

  他的朋友们试图怂恿他参加比赛。

Spur, prod, and goad all push a person to act. Spur is a neutral or positive abstract motive, like rivalry. Prod is a direct, repeated reminder to one slow, unwilling person, sounding naggy. Goad means strong, unwelcome pressure, sounding forceful. Literal senses are not compared.

这三个词都指促使人采取行动的因素或言语，但语气与力度不同：spur 多指促使人行动的抽象条件或动机，语气中性偏正面；prod 指针对某个迟缓、不情愿的人所作的直接催促或提醒，略带唠叨口气；goad 则强调施加较强甚至令人不悦的压力去逼迫对方行动，语气更强硬，有时带负面色彩。这里不比较 spur 的“马刺”本义、prod 的“捅、戳”动作义，以及 goad 的“赶牛棒”本义。