n. [ F. provocation, L. provocatio. See Provoke. ] 1. The act of provoking, or causing vexation or, anger. Fabyan. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. That which provokes, or excites anger; the cause of resentment; as, to give provocation. Paley. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. (Law) Such prior insult or injury as may be supposed, under the circumstances, to create hot blood, and to excuse an assault made in retort or redress. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. An appeal to a court. [ A Latinism ] [ Obs. ] Ayliffe. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. provocativus: cf. OF. provocatif. ] Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Anything that is provocative; a stimulant; as, a provocative of appetite. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. Quality of being provocative. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Provocative. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. That may be provoked. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Provoked p. pr. & vb. n. Provoking. ] [ F. provoquer, L. provocare to call forth; pro forth + vocare to call, fr. vox, vocis, voice, cry, call. See Voice. ] To call forth; to call into being or action; esp., to incense to action, a faculty or passion, as love, hate, or ambition; hence, commonly, to incite, as a person, to action by a challenge, by taunts, or by defiance; to exasperate; to irritate; to offend intolerably; to cause to retaliate. [ 1913 Webster ]

Obey his voice, provoke him not. Ex. xxiii. 21. [ 1913 Webster ]

Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath. Eph. vi. 4. [ 1913 Webster ]

Such acts
Of contumacy will provoke the Highest
To make death in us live. Milton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust? Gray. [ 1913 Webster ]

To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul. J. Burroughs. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- To irritate; arouse; stir up; awake; excite; incite; anger. See Irritate. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. i. 1. To cause provocation or anger. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To appeal. [ A Latinism ] [ Obs. ] Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The act that which, provokes; one who excites anger or other passion, or incites to action; as, a provoker of sedition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion or vexation; as, provoking words or treatment. -- Pro*vok"ing*ly, adv. [1913 Webster]