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provoked

 - 5 dictionary results

pro⋅voke

[pruh-vohk]
–verb (used with object), -voked, -vok⋅ing.
1. to anger, enrage, exasperate, or vex.
2. to stir up, arouse, or call forth (feelings, desires, or activity): The mishap provoked a hearty laugh.
3. to incite or stimulate (a person, animal, etc.) to action.
4. to give rise to, induce, or bring about: What could have provoked such an incident?
5. Obsolete. to summon.

Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L prōvocāre to call forth, challenge, provoke, equiv. to prō- pro- 1 + vocāre to call; akin to vōx voice


pro⋅vok⋅er, noun


1. irk, annoy, aggravate, exacerbate, infuriate. See irritate. 2. rouse, instigate. 2, 3. See incite.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To provoked
pro·voke   (prə-vōk')   
tr.v.   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.


[Middle English provoken, from Old French provoquer, from Latin prōvocāre, to challenge : prō-, forth; see pro-1 + vocāre, to call; see wekw- in Indo-European roots.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to move a person to action or feeling or to summon something into being by so moving a person. Provoke often merely states the consequences produced: "Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath" (Shakespeare). "A situation which in the country would have provoked meetings" (John Galsworthy).
To incite is to provoke and urge on: Members of the opposition incited the insurrection.
Excite implies a strong or emotional reaction: The movie will fail; the plot excites little interest or curiosity.
Stimulate suggests renewed vigor of action as if by spurring or goading: "Our vigilance was stimulated by our finding traces of a large ... encampment" (Francis Parkman).
To arouse means to awaken, as from inactivity or apathy; rouse means the same, but more strongly implies vigorous or emotional excitement: "In a democratic society like ours, relief must come through an aroused popular conscience that sears the conscience of the people's representatives" (Felix Frankfurter). "The oceangoing steamers ... roused in him wild and painful longings" (Arnold Bennett).
To stir is to cause activity, strong but usually agreeable feelings, trouble, or commotion: "It was him as stirred up th' young woman to preach last night" (George Eliot). "I have seldom been so ... stirred by any piece of writing" (Mark Twain). See Also Synonyms at annoy.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

provoke 
1432, from O.Fr. provoker (14c., Fr. provoquer), from L. provocare "call forth, challenge," from pro- "forth" + vocare "to call" (see voice).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: pro·voke
Pronunciation: pr&-'vOk
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: pro·voked; pro·vok·ing
1 : to incite to anger
2 : to provide the needed stimulus for —pro·vok·er noun
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: pro·voke
Pronunciation: pr&-'vOk
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: pro·voked; pro·vok·ing
: to induce (a physical reaction) provokes vomiting>
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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