Part 630

2. Making temporary provision; provisional.

Prov`o*ca"tion (?), n. [F. provocation, L. provocatio. See Provoke.] 1. The act of provoking, or causing vexation or, anger. Fabyan.

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

3. Incitement; stimulus; as, provocation to mirth.

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.

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

Pro*vo"ca*tive (?), a. [L. provocativus: cf. OF. provocatif.] Serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; exciting.

Pro*vo"ca*tive, n. Anything that is provocative; a stimulant; as, a provocative of appetite.

Pro*vo"ca*tive*ness, n. Quality of being provocative.

Pro*vo"ca*to*ry (?), a. Provocative.

Pro*vok"a*ble (?), a. That may be provoked.

Pro*voke" (?), 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.

Obey his voice, provoke him not.

Ex. xxiii. 21.

Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.

Eph. vi. 4.

Such acts Of contumacy will provoke the Highest To make death in us live.

Milton.

Can honor's voice provoke the silent dust?

Gray.

To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul.

J. Burroughs.

Syn. -- To irritate; arouse; stir up; awake; excite; incite; anger. See Irritate.

Pro*voke", v. i. 1. To cause provocation or anger.

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

Pro*voke"ment (?), n. The act that which, provokes; one who excites anger or other passion, or incites to action; as, a provoker of sedition.

Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things.

Shak.