provoke

Verb

provoke (third-person singular simple present provokes, present participle provoking, simple past and past participle provoked)

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...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...

   Synonyms:

   harass, set off, vex, aggravate, annoy, nettle, rankle, ruffle, sting, burn someone's ass

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
   • 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

   Synonyms:

   incite, inflame, instigate, whip up, abet, actuate, goose, fuel, light a fire under, send

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