provokable, provocable

[Eng. pro vok(e); -able.] Capable of being provoked; easily provoked. "A spirit easily provocable and revengeful."-Rawlins: Sermon at Worcester , p. 8 (1770). pro-vōke', v . t. & i. [ Fr.provoquer =to provoke, from Lat. provoco to call forth, to challenge, to provoke: pro =forth, and voco to call; vox (gen it. vocis )=a voice; Sp. & Port. provocar ; Italian provo care .] A. Transitive : *1. To challenge, to call out. "He now provokes the sea-gods from the shore." Dryden: Virgil's Æneid, vi. 252. 2. To rouse; to excite or stimulate to action; to incite. "They gladly hear also the young men: yea, and pur. posely provoke them to talk."-More: Utopia , bk. ii., ch. v. 3. To excite or stir to anger; to incense; to enrage, to exasperate, to irritate, to offend. "Son, what furie hath thus provoked thee?" Surrey: Virgil's Aneis, ii. 4. To stir up, to cause, to produce, to excite, to IMG:content-1665.png:[blocks in formation] 2. To excite or produce anger; to irritate; to give provocation. *pro-vōke-ment, subst . [Eng. provoke ; -ment.] Provocation. "The excellency of her beauty was no provokement to him."-Brende: Quintus Curtius , fol. 81. pro-vōk-er, s. [Eng. provok ( e ); -er.] 1. One who or that which excites, stimulates, or promotes. "Drink, sir, is a great provoker of three things."Shakesp.: Macbeth , ii. 3. 2. One who excites or stirs up sedition or war. 3. One who or that which provokes, irritates, or incenses. "And my provokers hereby doo augmente." Wyatt: Psalme, 38. pro-vōk'-ing, pr . par . & a. [PROVOKE.] A. As pr . par .: (See the verb.) B. As adj.: Tending to provoke, annoy, or incense; annoying, exasperating. pro-vōk-ing-lý, adv . [English provoking ; -ly.] In a provoking manner or degree; so as to provoke or annoy; vexatiously. "They sank into impiety, made wars, and became provokingly human." -London Daily Telegraph .