provoke

provoke
provoker, n.
/preuh vohk"/, v.t., provoked, provoking.
1. to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.
2. to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.
3. to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
4. to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident?
5. Obs. to summon.
[1400-50; late ME < L provocare to call forth, challenge, provoke, equiv. to pro- PRO-1 + vocare to call; akin to vox VOICE]
Syn. 1. irk, annoy, aggravate, exacerbate, infuriate. See irritate. 2. rouse, instigate. 2, 3. See incite.

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  • Provoke — Pro*voke , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Provoked}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Provoking}.] [F. provoquer, L. provocare to call forth; pro forth + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice, cry, call. See {Voice}.] To call forth; to call into being or action; esp., to… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • provoke — 1 Provoke, excite, stimulate, pique, quicken, galvanize can all mean to rouse one into doing or feeling something or to call something into existence by so rousing a person. Provoke stresses a power in the agent or agency sufficient to produce… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • provoke — pro·voke /prə vōk/ vt pro·voked, pro·vok·ing 1: to incite to anger 2: to provide the needed stimulus for pro·vok·er n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam Webster. 1996 …   Law dictionary

  • provoke — [prə vōk′, prōvōk′] vt. provoked, provoking [ME provoken < MFr provoquer < L provocare, to call forth < pro , PRO 2 + vocare, to call < vox, VOICE] 1. to excite to some action or feeling 2. to anger, irritate, or annoy 3 …   English World dictionary

  • provoke — [v1] make angry abet, abrade, affront, aggravate, anger, annoy, bother, bug*, chafe, enrage, exasperate, exercise, foment, fret, gall*, get*, get on one’s nerves*, get under one’s skin*, grate, hit where one lives*, incense, incite, inflame,… …   New thesaurus

  • Provoke — Pro*voke , v. i. 1. To cause provocation or anger. [1913 Webster] 2. To appeal. Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] Dryden. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • provoke — early 15c., from O.Fr. provoker (14c., Fr. provoquer), from L. provocare call forth, challenge, from pro forth (see PRO (Cf. pro )) + vocare to call (see VOICE (Cf. voice)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • provoke — ► VERB 1) stimulate or cause (a strong or unwelcome reaction or emotion) in someone. 2) deliberately annoy or anger. 3) incite to do or feel something, especially by arousing anger. ORIGIN Latin provocare to challenge …   English terms dictionary

  • provoke — pro|voke [prəˈvəuk US ˈvouk] v [T] [Date: 1300 1400; : French; Origin: provoquer, from Latin provocare, from vocare to call ] 1.) to cause a reaction or feeling, especially a sudden one →↑provocation provoke a protest/an outcry/criticism etc ▪… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • provoke */*/ — UK [prəˈvəʊk] / US [prəˈvoʊk] verb [transitive] Word forms provoke : present tense I/you/we/they provoke he/she/it provokes present participle provoking past tense provoked past participle provoked 1) to deliberately try to make someone angry He… …   English dictionary

  • provoke — transitive verb (provoked; provoking) Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo French *provoker, provocher, from Latin provocare, from pro forth + vocare to call, from voc , vox voice more at pro , voice Date: 14th century 1. a. archaic to arouse to …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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