provoke: Meaning and Definition of

pro•voke

Pronunciation: (pru-vōk'), [key]
— -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. to summon.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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