'Provoke' definitions:
Definition of 'provoke'
(from WordNet)
verb
Call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy" [syn: arouse, elicit, enkindle, kindle, evoke, fire, raise, provoke]
verb
Evoke or provoke to appear or occur; "Her behavior provoked a quarrel between the couple" [syn: provoke, evoke, call forth, kick up]
verb
Provide the needed stimulus for [syn: provoke, stimulate]
verb
Definition of 'Provoke'
From: GCIDE
- Provoke \Pro*voke"\, v. i.
- 1. To cause provocation or anger. [1913 Webster]
- 2. To appeal.
- Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
Definition of 'Provoke'
From: GCIDE
- 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 incense to action, a faculty or passion, as love, hate, or ambition; hence, commonly, to incite, as a person, to action by a challenge, by taunts, or by defiance; to exasperate; to irritate; to offend intolerably; to cause to retaliate. [1913 Webster]
- Obey his voice, provoke him not. --Ex. xxiii. 21. [1913 Webster]
- Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. --Eph. vi. 4. [1913 Webster]
- Such acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust? --Gray. [1913 Webster]
- To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul. -- J. Burroughs. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: To irritate; arouse; stir up; awake; excite; incite; anger. See Irritate. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'provoke'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abet,
- abrade,
- activate,
- affect the interest,
- affront,
- agent provocateur,
- aggravate,
- agitate,
- alienate,
- amplify,
- anger,
- animate,
- annoy,
- answer back,
- antagonize,
- arouse,
- attract,
- augment,
- awaken,
- badger,
- bait,
- be at,
- bedevil,
- beset,
- bestir,
- blow the coals,
- bother,
- breed,
- bring,
- bring about,
- bring on,
- bristle,
- brown off,
- bug,
- build up,
- bullyrag,
- burn up,
- call forth,
- call up,
- cause,
- chafe,
- challenge,
- chivy,
- come between,
- compel,
- concern,
- contrive,
- deepen,
- deteriorate,
- devil,
- disaffect,
- discompose,
- distemper,
- distress,
- disturb,
- disunite,
- divide,
- dog,
- draw down,
- draw on,
- drive,
- effect,
- egg on,
- electrify,
- elicit,
- embitter,
- encourage,
- engender,
- enhance,
- enlarge,
- enliven,
- enrage,
- enthuse,
- envenom,
- estrange,
- evoke,
- exacerbate,
- exalt,
- exasperate,
- excite,
- excite interest,
- exercise,
- exhilarate,
- fan,
- fan the flame,
- fascinate,
- fash,
- feed the fire,
- ferment,
- fillip,
- fire,
- foment,
- force,
- fret,
- frustrate,
- gall,
- galvanize,
- get,
- get up,
- goad,
- grate,
- grate on,
- gravel,
- gripe,
- grit,
- harass,
- harry,
- hatch,
- heat,
- heat up,
- heckle,
- hector,
- heighten,
- hot up,
- hound,
- huff,
- impassion,
- impel,
- incense,
- incite,
- increase,
- induce,
- inflame,
- inform,
- infuriate,
- infuse life into,
- inspire,
- instigate,
- insult,
- intensify,
- interest,
- invigorate,
- invite,
- involve in,
- irk,
- irritate,
- jazz up,
- kindle,
- lead,
- light the fuse,
- lip,
- madden,
- magnify,
- make acute,
- make trouble,
- make worse,
- miff,
- molest,
- motivate,
- move,
- muster up,
- nag,
- needle,
- nettle,
- nudzh,
- obtain,
- occasion,
- offend,
- outrage,
- peeve,
- persecute,
- perturb,
- pester,
- pick on,
- pick up,
- pique,
- pit against,
- plague,
- pluck the beard,
- pother,
- prime,
- procure,
- produce,
- promote,
- prompt,
- push,
- put out,
- put up to,
- quicken,
- raise,
- rally,
- rankle,
- rasp,
- renew,
- resuscitate,
- revive,
- ride,
- rile,
- roil,
- rouse,
- ruffle,
- sass,
- sauce,
- separate,
- set,
- set against,
- set at odds,
- set at variance,
- set on,
- set on edge,
- set up,
- sharpen,
- sic on,
- sour,
- sow dissension,
- spur on,
- start,
- stimulate,
- stir,
- stir the blood,
- stir the embers,
- stir up,
- stir up trouble,
- summon up,
- superinduce,
- talk back,
- tantalize,
- tease,
- thrill,
- tickle,
- titillate,
- titivate,
- torment,
- trouble,
- try the patience,
- tweak the nose,
- upset,
- vex,
- wake,
- waken,
- whet,
- whip up,
- work up,
- worry,
- worsen