Dictionary

provoke en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /pɹəˈvəʉk/ (Australia)
• (California, Southern) audio
• /pɹəˈvɐʉk/ (New-Zealand)
• [pɹəˈvɛʊk] California Vowel Shift
• /pɹəˈvəʊk/ (UK)
• /pɹəˈvoʊk/ (Canada, US)

Etymology

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

Meanings

1. (transitive) To cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
   • Don't provoke the dog; it may try to bite you.
   • In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered. 1577, Raphaell Holinshed, “The Historie of Englande”, in The Firste Volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande […], volume I, London: […] [Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, →OCLC, page 26, columns 1–2:
   • Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Ephesians 6:4:
2. (transitive) To bring about a reaction.
   • To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul. 1881, John Burroughs, Pepacton:
   • Spain were provoked into a response and Villa almost provided a swift equaliser when he rounded Hart but found the angle too acute and could only hit the side-netting. 2011 November 12, “International friendly: England 1-0 Spain”, in BBC Sport:
   • An old traditional prescription for provoking erotic inclinations ran as follows, The toe of the foot of a man, anointed with oil, or honey, or the ashes of a weasel. 1961, Harry E. Wedeck, Dictionary of Aphrodisiacs, New York: The Citadel Press, page 234:
   • Thence Sish went forth into the world to destroy its cities, and to provoke his hours to assail all things, and to batter against them with the rust and with the dust. 1905, Lord Dunsany [i.e., Edward Plunkett, 18th Baron of Dunsany], The Gods of Pegāna, London: [Charles] Elkin Mathews, […], →OCLC:
3. (obsolete) To appeal.
   • Even Arius and Pelagius durst provoke To what the centuries preceding spoke. [1682], [John] Dryden, Religio Laici or A Laymans Faith. A Poem, London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC:

Forms

Deriveds

provoker · provokement · provokee · unprovoked · overprovoke · unprovoke · reprovoke · provokable · provocation · nonprovoked · provocable · provocative · picking quarrels and provoking trouble

Relateds

advoke · evoke · provocateur · invoke · avoke · convoke · revoke

Synonyms

stir · tick off · inflame · burn someone's ass · evoke · spur on · set up someone's birse · bedevil · torque off · cheer · lash · encourage · tempt · vex · actuate · incense · jazz · exasperate · rub someone the wrong way · irk · rouse · send · madden · get on someone's wick · rile · get someone's back up · incite · roil · get to · hack off · egg on · storm · engender · get up · harass · botherate · rankle · trouble · disgruntle · rile · mommick · raise someone's shag · piss off · provoke · grill · impel · pee off · motive · bother · nerve · rattle someone's cage · provoke · incite · gall · ruffle someone's feathers · provoke · bring about · make someone see red · cross · excite · rankle · get one's back up · inflame · boil someone's piss · give someone the shits · spur · instigate · tick off · put out · try one's patience · get someone's Irish up · get on someone's tits · grind one's gears · wind up · make angry · stoke · bug · foment · set off · cheese off · get someone's goat · molest · get · burn up · nark · make someone's blood boil · get on someone's nerves · cheese off · chap someone's hide · instigate · grotch · ruffle · sting · set off · promote · get someone's Irish up · annoy · devil · grate · whip up · roil · affront · aggravate · ruffle some feathers · stir up · vex · light a fire under · whip up · inflame · whet · pique · frustrate · raise someone's hackles · steam · sting · embitter · ignite · move · nettle · get under one's goat · get someone's goat · motivate · spark off · acerbate · obligate · drive · hassle · raise someone's hackles · get someone's dander up · antagonize · prompt · push · peeve off · aggravate · stimulate · oblige · nark · get someone's dander up · piss off · burn up · get someone's nanny-goat · infuriate · abet · get someone's nanny · anger · rub the wrong way · offend · fuel · induce · invoke · put someone's back up · antagonize · persecute · awrath · irritate · Idioms: · honk off · envenom · peeve · urge · draw · outrage · test someone's patience · rub up the wrong way · get under someone's skin · goose · harsh one's mellow · set off · tee off · get · rile up · put someone's back up · goad

Translations (96)

fa افژولیدن (to cause to become angry) · mi whakakārangirangi (to bring about a reaction) · mi māreherehe (to cause to become angry) · de zeitigen (to bring about a reaction) · mi whakataritari (to bring about a reaction) · da provokere (to cause to become angry) · hi उकसाना (to bring about a reaction) · ja 立腹させる (to cause to become angry) · el εξάπτω (to cause to become angry) · fi suututtaa (to cause to become angry) · cmn 挑釁 /挑衅 (to cause to become angry) · ka პროვოცირებას (to cause to become angry) · ru провоци́ровать (to cause to become angry) · eo provoki (to cause to become angry) · enm forthcallen (to cause to become angry) · cmn 激怒 (to cause to become angry) · pl prowokować (to cause to become angry) · pl drażnić (to cause to become angry) · de aufwühlen (to cause to become angry) · it generare (to bring about a reaction) · lv provocēt (to bring about a reaction) · bg предизвиквам (to bring about a reaction) · de hervorrufen (to bring about a reaction) · eo provoki (to bring about a reaction) · mi whakapātaritari (to cause to become angry) · tl mang-udyok (to cause to become angry) · cmn 扇動 /扇动 (to cause to become angry) · uk спровокува́ти (to bring about a reaction) · mi mukākā (to cause to become angry) · lv provocēt (to cause to become angry) · bg провокирам (to cause to become angry) · pl sprowokować (to cause to become angry) · mi whakatenetene (to cause to become angry) · nl uitlokken (to cause to become angry) · km បង្ក (to cause to become angry) · la lacessō (to cause to become angry) · he הִתְגָּרָה (to cause to become angry) · th ยั่วยุ (to cause to become angry) · de hervorbringen (to bring about a reaction) · fr provoquer (to cause to become angry) · ru спровоци́ровать (to cause to become angry) · th ยุยง (to cause to become angry) · lt kurstyti (to cause to become angry) · cmn 刺激 (to cause to become angry) · mi kōtara (to cause to become angry) · pt irritar (to cause to become angry) · cmn 激起 (to cause to become angry) · de aufreizen (to cause to become angry) · tvl fakaoso (to cause to become angry) · fi provosoida (to bring about a reaction) · ru рассерди́ть (to cause to become angry) · ru серди́ть (to cause to become angry) · de aufstacheln (to cause to become angry) · hi भड़काना (to bring about a reaction) · es provocar (to bring about a reaction) · mi taunanawe (to bring about a reaction) · hi भड़काना (to cause to become angry) · uk провокува́ти (to bring about a reaction) · de provozieren (to cause to become angry) · mi mukākā (to bring about a reaction) · cs dráždit (to cause to become angry) · ja 憤慨させる (to cause to become angry) · hu provokál (to cause to become angry) · ja 怒らせる (to cause to become angry) · pt provocar (to cause to become angry) · es provocar (to cause to become angry) · mi whakatari (to bring about a reaction) · he גִּרָה (to bring about a reaction) · is skaprauna (to cause to become angry) · de aufpeitschen (to cause to become angry) · mi whakapātaritari (to bring about a reaction) · de anerzeugen (to bring about a reaction) · pt provocar (to bring about a reaction) · ca provocar (to cause to become angry) · mi makitohene (to cause to become angry) · el εξοργίζω (to cause to become angry) · ur مشتعل کرنا (to bring about a reaction) · grc ἐρεθίζω (to cause to become angry) · mi pātaritari (to bring about a reaction) · la prōvocō (to cause to become angry) · ar اِسْتَفَزَّ (to cause to become angry) · uk спровокува́ти (to cause to become angry) · it provocare (to cause to become angry) · pl podjudzać (to cause to become angry) · sv provocera (to cause to become angry) · ur مشتعل (to cause to become angry) · is ergja (to cause to become angry) · de anerschaffen (to bring about a reaction) · fi provosoida (to cause to become angry) · hi उकसाना (to cause to become angry) · uk провокува́ти (to cause to become angry) · ur مشتعل (to bring about a reaction) · mi raparapa (to cause to become angry) · no provosere (to cause to become angry) · de aufhetzen (to cause to become angry) · mi makitohene (to bring about a reaction)