# provoke

Pronunciation: say "pruh-VOHK" US /pɹəˈvoʊk/, UK /pɹəˈvəʊk/, AUS /pɹəˈvəʉk/

## Verb

1. To call forth or bring about a particular reaction or response.
   - Simple: To cause something to happen, like a feeling or a reply.
   - _Such sweeping policies tend to provoke debate among economists._
   - _The unfinished painting provoked surprise in everyone who saw it._
2. To arouse annoyance or anger in someone.
   - Simple: To make someone feel annoyed or angry.
   - _The protesters tried to provoke the officers into a reaction._
   - _His mocking tone provoked her more than the insult itself._

## Verb

3. To make a formal appeal, as to a higher court or superior authority. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: To make a formal appeal to a higher court or ruler.

## Origin

Borrowed from Middle French 'provoquer', which came through Old French from Latin 'prōvocāre'. It is a doublet of 'provocate'.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/provoke (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).