provoke

verb

Etymology: Borrowed from Middle French provoquer, from Old French, from Latin prōvocāre. Doublet of provocate.

1. To cause someone to become annoyed or angry.

   “Don't provoke the dog; it may try to bite you.”

   “In the meane time it chaunced, that Marcus Papyrius ſtroke one of the Galles on the heade with his ſtaffe, because he preſumed to ſtroke his bearde: with whiche iniurie the Gaulle beeing prouoked, ſlue Papyrius (as he ſate) with hys ſworde, and therewith the ſlaughter being begun with one, all the reſidue of thoſe auncient fatherly men as they ſat in theyr Chayres were ſlaine and cruelly murthered.”

2. To bring about a reaction.

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

   “Thence Sish went forth into the world to destroy its cities, and to provoke his hours to assail all things, and to batter against them with the rust and with the dust.”

3. To appeal.

   “Even Arius and Pelagius durst provoke To what the centuries preceding spoke.”