Prodded

"Prodded" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "prod," which means to push or poke someone or something with a pointed object, such as a finger or a stick. The term can also be used metaphorically to describe the act of encouraging or urging someone to do something, often in a gentle or subtle way. For example, a teacher might prod a student to finish their homework, or a parent might prod a child to clean their room. The verb "prod" can also be used in the present tense, as in "He prodded the sleeping dog with his foot." The noun form of "prod" refers to the act of pushing or poking, or to a pointed object used for this purpose. The term "prodded" is often used in contexts where the action is gentle or non-threatening, such as in medical procedures where a doctor might prod a patient's stomach to check for pain.