| Provocation | 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 ] |
| Provoke | 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 ] |
| Provokement | 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 ] |
