What does "provoke" mean?

1. (to cause a reaction) to cause a particular reaction or feeling to happen. 2. (to make someone angry) to do or say something that makes someone angry or annoyed. 3. (to appeal) to call upon someone or to make a formal request.

provoke

US //pɹəˈvoʊk// UK //pɹəvˈəʊk// pro·voke

1 to cause a reaction (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to cause a particular reaction or feeling to happen.

to elicit or give rise to a specific reaction, emotion, or physical response. Transitive — always takes a direct object.

Example

The government's new tax plan provoked a lot of protests in the city.

Example

The senator's controversial remarks were clearly intended to provoke a debate on national security before the upcoming election.
- prevent
- stop
2 to make someone angry (v.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

to do or say something that makes someone angry or annoyed.

to deliberately incite anger, resentment, or irritation in a person or animal through speech or action.

Example

Be careful with that dog; if you provoke it, it might bite.

Example

The lawyer attempted to provoke the witness into losing his temper, hoping to undermine his credibility in front of the jury.
- soothe
- calm

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3 to appeal (v.)
C2 Proficiency Archaic Law

to call upon someone or to make a formal request.

to appeal to a higher authority or to summon. This usage is no longer found in modern speech or writing.

Example

In the old story, the knight had to provoke the king's mercy.

Example

The defendant sought to provoke the judgement of the high court, a phrasing that has since vanished from modern legal proceedings.
- appeal
- summon

Origin

Borrowed from Middle French provoquer, from Old French, from Latin prōvocāre. Doublet of provocate.

Word family

Verbprovoke
Nounprovocation
Adjectiveprovocative
Adjectiveunprovoked