provoke
- 01 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.
Simple“The government's new tax plan provoked a lot of protests in the city.”
In context“The senator's controversial remarks were clearly intended to provoke a debate on national security before the upcoming election.”
- 02 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.
Simple“Be careful with that dog; if you provoke it, it might bite.”
In context“The lawyer attempted to provoke the witness into losing his temper, hoping to undermine his credibility in front of the jury.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
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.
Simple“In the old story, the knight had to provoke the king's mercy.”
In context“The defendant sought to provoke the judgement of the high court, a phrasing that has since vanished from modern legal proceedings.”
Borrowed from Middle French provoquer, from Old French, from Latin prōvocāre. Doublet of provocate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.