Associations to the word «Provoke»

Wiktionary

PROVOKE, verb. (transitive) to cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
PROVOKE, verb. (transitive) to bring about a reaction.
PROVOKE, verb. (obsolete) To appeal.

Dictionary definition

PROVOKE, verb. Call forth (emotions, feelings, and responses); "arouse pity"; "raise a smile"; "evoke sympathy".
PROVOKE, verb. Evoke or provoke to appear or occur; "Her behavior provoked a quarrel between the couple".
PROVOKE, verb. Provide the needed stimulus for.
PROVOKE, verb. Annoy continually or chronically; "He is known to harry his staff when he is overworked"; "This man harasses his female co-workers".

Wise words

Words are always getting conventionalized to some secondary meaning. It is one of the works of poetry to take the truants in custody and bring them back to their right senses.
William Butler Yeats