/prə'vəʊk; prə`vok/
v
1 (a) [Tn] make (sb) angry or annoyed 激怒（某人）; 惹（某人）气恼
*I am not easily provoked, but this behaviour is intolerable! 我这人不爱生气, 但是这种行为使人忍无可忍!
* If you provoke the dog, it will bite you. 你招惹那条狗, 它会咬你的.
(b) [Tn.pr, Cn.t] ~ sb into doing sth/to do sth cause sb to react to sth esp by making him angry 使某人对某事物作出反应（尤指使用刺激手段）
*His behaviour finally provoked her into leaving him. 他把她气得终于离开了他.
* He was provoked by their mockery to say more than he had intended. 他受到他们嘲笑恼羞成怒, 说了一些过头的话.
2 [Tn] cause (sth) to occur or arouse (a feeling, etc) 使（某事物）产生; 引起（某种感情等）
*provoke laughter, riots, smiles, violence 引起大笑、暴乱、微笑、暴力行为.

v [T]
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: French;Origin: provoquer, from Latin provocare, from vocare 'to call']
to cause a reaction or feeling, especially a sudden one
→provocation
provoke a protest/an outcry/criticism etc
　The proposal provoked widespread criticism.
　The decision to invade provoked storms of protest.
provoke debate/discussion
　The novel has provoked fierce debate in the US.
provoke sb into (doing) sth
　She hopes her editorial will provoke readers into thinking seriously about the issue.
provoke sb to do sth
　Emma, though still at school, was provoked to help too.
to make someone angry, especially deliberately
　The dog would not have attacked if it hadn't been provoked.
provoke sb into (doing) sth
　Paul tried to provoke Fletch into a fight.