1.2with object and adverbialEncourage (a person or animal) to move more quickly or in a particular direction.
‘drawing up outside the house, he urged her inside’
‘Ralier kept urging the horse to move, but the animal didn't need persuasion.’
‘They rode through the night, urging their horses onwards.’
‘The driver urges the horses quickly through the near-empty town.’
‘The few people in the street suddenly stopped went they saw us, either staring at me or urging their children quickly indoors.’
‘They were at the waiting helicopter now and Jim opened the back door, urging Blair inside, then he turned back to Simon.’
‘With a wink at Joe, he flicked the reins urging the team of horses forward.’
‘Jumping onto his horse, he urged her over the river and up the grassy bank.’
‘Tilkin leaned lower, pushing Ereana down and urging the horse forward.’
‘He gripped the reins tighter and leaned forward, urging his horse on to simply ride past the man, perhaps cutting him down as he went by.’
‘Mihra shook her head, as if to clear it, then placed pressure on the horse's side with a leg, urging him in the other direction.’
‘The weight presses down on you as the signs urge you onwards.’
encourage, try to persuade, enjoin, adjure, admonish, press, prompt, prod, goad, egg on, spur, push, pressure, put pressure on, use pressure on, pressurize, lean on
1.3urge someone onEncourage someone to continue or succeed.
‘he could hear her voice urging him on’
‘The game still looked in the balance and Rhodes continued to urge Kendal on with his constant ranting from the back.’
‘The look in Will's eyes urged her on.’
‘I am not rushing you, merely urging you on towards a speedy decision.’
‘You going to know if things are not going well, you'll be on standby expecting the worst, and you'll be urging them on mentally and really pushing them as much as you can.’
‘The prospect of warmth urging me on, I hurried down the short slope to the double doors at what I assumed was the front of the Greening.’
‘Charles looked bemused but gave an encouraging smile while Emilia urged her on; Faith and Hope were smiling but Charity, Rebecca and Louisa were frowning.’
‘It could be as close as a step in front of him urging him on, or a distant goal to rush toward.’
‘If we don't keep drugs out of these events, they become freak shows, the athletes like gladiators - with us playing the role of decadent Romans, urging them on.’
‘I won't go as far as wearing a claret and blue scarf, but I will be urging them on to win.’
‘I've been keeping a watchful eye and ear on the progress of the solo yachtsmen and women as they battle their way through the round-the-world race, urging them on and sending them silent good wishes.’
‘There were man-made ones too of course and most of these were forest fires in California which took some time to control as there were strong winds urging them on.’
‘But Sligo, with their thousands of fans urging them on, refused to lie down and kept coming back at Armagh.’
‘Rosaline Gallagher was there urging me on and I got great courage from that.’
‘‘What I remember most was the thrill of the crowd urging me on - and being pretty exhausted,’ recalls Rees.’
‘Sean Gourley had the crowds urging him on as he leapt to long jump victory in an impressive 7. 01m.’
‘One of our leading young historians urges them on.’
‘Men with short back and sides dressed in gleaming white singlets and shorts set off downriver while a little coxswain in a cap urges them on.’
‘Standing next to the hulking metal scrum machine, its curving shape like the shell of a giant red insect, he urges them on.’
‘All three are concentrating hard on stirring their biscuit mixture while their helper urges them on.’
‘He sat in front, nodding encouragement and urging the boy on.’