provoke
1Provoke — 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… …
2provoke — 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… …
3provoke — 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 …
4provoke — [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 …
5provoke — [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,… …
6Provoke — Pro*voke , v. i. 1. To cause provocation or anger. [1913 Webster] 2. To appeal. Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] Dryden. [1913 Webster] …
7provoke — 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)) …
8provoke — ► 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 …
9provoke — 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 ▪… …
10provoke */*/ — 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… …
