provoke

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The definition of provoke is to push something to happen, or to annoy.

(verb)

An example of provoke is to insult someone until they want to fight.

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See provoke in Webster's New World College Dictionary

transitive verb provoked, provoking

  1. to excite to some action or feeling
  2. to anger, irritate, or annoy
  3. to stir up (action or feeling)
  4. to call forth; evoke: to provoke a smile

Origin: ME provoken < MFr provoquer < L provocare, to call forth < pro-, pro- + vocare, to call < vox, voice

Related Forms:

See provoke in American Heritage Dictionary 4

transitive verb pro·voked, pro·vok·ing, pro·vokes
  1. To incite to anger or resentment.
  2. To stir to action or feeling.
  3. To give rise to; evoke: provoke laughter.
  4. To bring about deliberately; induce: provoke a fight.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English provoken

Origin: , from Old French provoquer

Origin: , from Latin prōvocāre, to challenge

Origin: : prō-, forth; see pro-1

Origin: + vocāre, to call; see wekw- in Indo-European roots

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