KJV Dictionary Definition: provoke

provoke

PROVO'KE, v.t. L.provoco, to call forth; pro and voco, to call.

1. To call into action; to arouse; to excite; as, to provoke anger or wrath by offensive words or by injury; to provoke war.

2. To make angry; to offend; to incense; to enrage.

Ye fathers,provoke not your children to wrath. Eph.6.

Often provoked by the insolence of some of the bishops--

3. To excite; to cause; as, to provoke perspiration; to provoke a smile.

4. To excite; to stimulate; to increase.

The taste of pleasure provokes the appetite, and every successive indulgence of vice which is to form a habit, is easier than the last.

5. To challenge.

He now provokes the sea-gods from the shore.

6. To move; to incite; to stir up; to induce by motives. Rom.10.

Let us consider one another to provoke to love and to good works. Heb.10.

7. To incite; to rouse; as, to provoke one to anger. Deut.32.

PROVO'KE, v.i. To appeal. A Latinism,not used.

provoked

PROVO'KED, pp. Excited; roused; incited; made angry; incensed.

provoker

PROVO'KER, n. One that excites anger or other passion; one that excites war or sedition.

1. That which excites, causes or promotes.

provoking

PROVO'KING, ppr. Exciting into action; inciting; inducing by motives; making angry.

1. a. Having the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion; as provoking words; provoking treatment.

provokingly

PROVO'KINGLY, adv. In such a manner as to excite anger.

Definitions from Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language, 1828.
Previous word: provocation. Next word: prudence.