provoke
provoke
/prəˈvəʊk/
1 provoke something to cause a particular reaction or have a particular effect
The announcement provoked a storm of protest.
The article was intended to provoke discussion.
Dairy products may provoke allergic reactions in some people.
The suggestion inevitably provoked outrage from student leaders.
Such a decision may provoke a backlash from their supporters.
The company was provoked into issuing a denial.
The decision to close the factory has provoked fury.
The minister does not wish to provoke further demonstrations.
What had she done to provoke his wrath?
Collocations
adverb
verb + provoke
try to
be likely to
be designed to
preposition
into
to
phrases
easily provoked
2 to say or do something that you know will annoy somebody so that they react in an angry way
provoke somebody Be careful what you say—he's easily provoked.
provoke somebody into (doing) something The lawyer claimed his client was provoked into acts of violence by the defendant.
provoke somebody to do something An attack on their city will only provoke them to retaliate.
The prison guards deliberately provoke the political prisoners.
She had been trying to provoke her sister into an argument.
Their laughter provoked him to anger.
Word Origin
late Middle English (also in the sense ‘invoke, summon’): from Old French provoquer, from Latin provocare ‘challenge’, from pro- ‘forth’ + vocare ‘to call’.
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