Quote
1. Quote - Listen to the quote and guess what the slang means.
“The more Batman beats up on the Joker, the bigger that smile on his face becomes. He just adored it and he was egging me on for more.”
- Actor Christian Bale on how Heath Ledger portrayed the joker in the new movie The Dark Knight. (The Scotsman)
Definition
1. Definition - Study the definition.
provoke, urge; encouraging while taunting; encouraging someone to do something bad
2. Use - Learn how the slang is used.
Perhaps the scariest thing you can do if someone hits you is laugh. And if you want that person to stop hitting you, you should not only laugh but ask to be hit some more.
There’s a scene in The Dark Knight where Christian Bale as Batman is interrogating Heath Ledger as the Joker. Batman has the Joker locked in a room and wants him to give information, so he starts hitting him. The Joker eggs him on and asks for more.
To egg was actually a common verb in the year 1200 that comes from a Norse word. Today it survives in the phrase egg on, which surprisingly has nothing to do with throwing eggs.
Examples
1. Examples - Hear some example sentences.
“Young William didn’t want to break the window, but with all his friends there egging him on he decided to do it anyway.”
“He threatened to hit her and she egged him on and told him to do it because she knew he wouldn’t.”