nudge

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
nudge/nʌʤ/

▶verb

• 1 prod gently with one's elbow to attract attention.

  ■ touch or push gently or gradually.

• 2 give gentle encouragement to.

▶noun a light touch or push.

– derivatives
nudger noun.

– origin C17: of unknown origin; cf. Norw. dial. nugga, nyggja ‘to push, rub’.