English Explanatory Dictionary

provoke

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb
  1. To cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
  2. To bring about a reaction.
  3. To appeal.

Pronunciation

/pɹəˈvəʊk/ /pɹəˈvoʊk/ en-us-provoke.ogg /pɹəˈvəʉk/

Word forms

provoke provokes provoking provoked

Etymology

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

Synonyms

harass set off vex aggravate annoy nettle rankle ruffle sting antagonize bother disgruntle botherate bug get grate burn up bedevil cheese off devil exasperate frustrate get up grotch hack off hassle irk irritate jazz molest mommick nark nerve pee off peeve persecute pique piss off provoke rile rile up roil storm test someone's patience tick off trouble try one's patience wind up Idioms: boil someone's piss chap someone's hide get on someone's nerves get on someone's tits get on someone's wick get someone's back up get someone's dander up get someone's goat get someone's Irish up get someone's nanny get someone's nanny-goat

Related words

evoke invoke provocateur revoke

Derived words

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