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- DictionaryPro·voke/prəˈvōk/
verb
- 1. stimulate or give rise to (a reaction or emotion, typically a strong or unwelcome one) in someone: "the decision provoked a storm of protest from civil rights organizations" Similar arouseproduceevokecausegive rise tooccasioncall forthdraw forthelicitinduceinspireexcitespark offtouch offkindlegenerateengenderinstigateresult inlead tobring oncontribute tomake forfosterpromotebreedprecipitateprompttriggerliterary:begetenkindleOpposite allay
- ▪ stimulate or incite (someone) to do or feel something, especially by arousing anger in them: "a teacher can provoke you into working harder" Similar goadspurprickstingprodegg onhoundbadgerinciterousestirmovestimulatemotivateexciteinflamework/fire upimpelpressurepressurizepromptinduceencourageurgeinspireOpposite deter
- ▪ deliberately make (someone) annoyed or angry: "Rachel refused to be provoked" Similar annoymake angryangerincenseenragesend into a rageirritateinfuriateexasperateexacerbatemaddenpiquenettleget/take a rise out ofbotherupsetagitatevexirkgallget/put someone's back upget on someone's nervesruffleruffle someone's feathersmake someone's hackles riseraise someone's hacklesmake someone's blood boilrub up the wrong wayput someone outharassharryplaguemolestteasetaunttormentaffrontinsultoffendinformal:peeveaggravatehasslemiffrileneedlegetget tobughack offget under someone's skinget in someone's hairget someone's goatget across someoneget on someone's wickgive someone the humpwind upnarkget up someone's noserankleridegravelvulgar slang:piss offget on someone's titsOpposite pacifyappease
Word Origin late Middle English (also in the sense ‘invoke, summon’): from Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare ‘challenge’, from pro- ‘forth’ + vocare ‘to call’.
Derivatives
- 1. provokable adjective
- 2. provoker noun
Scrabble Points: 16
P
3R
1O
1V
4O
1K
5E
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