prodding

verb
  1. 1

    To poke, to push, to touch.

  2. 2

    To encourage, to prompt.

  3. 3

    To prick with a goad.

noun
  1. 1

    The act of giving a prod.

Source: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prod, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/prodding