?a1425 tr. Guy de Chauliac Grande Chirurgie (N.Y. Acad. Med.) f. 151^v (MED) Mydwifez ar to be warred þat if þe fourme of going out by naturale & hard..þat þe womman helpe her selfe with puttyng out & wiþholdyng of hir breþe and with prouokyng of sternutacioun wiþ puluer of piper.

c1475 (c1445) R. Pecock Donet (1921) 133 ‘Þat þou be of long lijf’..was no comaundement, but it was a bihetyng or a prouoking or tolling forto kepe þis comaundement.

1535 Bible (Coverdale) 1 Kings xv. 30 With y^e prouokynge wherwith he displeased the Lorde God of Israel.

1576 W. Lambarde Perambulation of Kent 129 They fell to suing, prouoking,and brawling (the..onely meanes, by which Monkes vsed to trie their controversies).

1611 T. Middleton & T. Dekker Roaring Girle i. i. l. 723 I am of that certaine beleefe there are more queanes in this towne of their owne making, then of any mans prouoking.

1625 in A. Shearer Extracts Burgh Rec. Dunfermline (1951) 147 Then be provoiking other to ane singular combat.

1684 J. Bunyan Holy Life Introd. sig. B2^v He betakes him to the more external parts of worship, and neglecteth the more weighty matters, to the provoking of the God of Israel.

1731 E. Thomas Pylades & Corinna I. 101 The Lady stampt and stopt her Ears, And bid him cease provoking.

1796 F. Burney Camilla IV. vii. xiii. 197 Of all the qualities with which the perversity of human nature is gifted, the power which is the most common to attain, and the most easy to practise, is the art of provoking.

1848 Littell's Living Age 15 July 102/2 To adore any of God's perishing creatures is a sin, and a provoking of our heavenly Father's wrath.

1873 M. Arnold Lit. & Dogma ii. 64 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the provoking of men.

1915 L. M. Bristol Social Adaptation xvi. 282 The provoking of imitation in others through the power of an attractive example.

1961 J. Heller Catch-22 (1962) viii. 74 He was formally charged with ‘breaking ranks while in formation, felonious assault,..provoking, being a smart guy, listening to classical music, and so on’.

1997 Indianapolis Recorder (Nexis) 13 Dec. 7 To completely ignore Carlesimo's provokings.

c1443 R. Pecock Reule of Crysten Religioun (1927) 172 (MED) Þo synnes ben such synnes as þou art woned to forȝeue..wiþ vse of þe seid xiiij prouokyng meenys.

1598 J. Dickenson Greene in Conceipt 21 sig. D3 When they had stoutly carowsed and..pampered themselues, with these prouoking preparatiues, the table being now vncouered, they fell from quaffing to discoursing.

1630 P. Massinger Renegado ii. iv. sig. E1^v Prouoking dishes, passing by to heighten Declined appetite.

1645 Liberty of Consc. Pref. sig. A iij Their pernicious, God-provoking, Truth-defacing, Church-ruinating, and State-shaking toleration.

1748 W. Shenstone School-mistress xi, in R. Dodsley Coll. Poems (ed. 2) I. 252 The tufted Basil, pun-provoking Tyme.

1749 J. Cleland Mem. Woman of Pleasure I. 88 Thus she sat on him, a few instants, enjoying, and relishing her situation, whilst he toyed with her provoking breasts.

1814 W. Nicholson Tales 123 'Tweel thy [tobacco] taste's no' sae provokin' 'Tween you and me.

1860 ‘G. Eliot’ Mill on Floss III. vi. xii. 184 Prejudices come as the natural food of tendencies which can get no sustenance out of that complex, fragmentary, doubt-provoking knowledge which we call truth.

1896 A. C. Benson Essays 241 A deep and provoking wonder grows gradually up as to what standpoint such a critic has reached that such judgments should be possible.

1932 Extension Mag. Feb. 28/2 How tear-provoking it is to see a group of young children around a Christmas tree with eyes shining in expectancy.

1995 Independent 23 Nov. 23/6 Her spirit has been influential, but instead of pointing to new challenges, provoking and exciting, it has been a dour, minatory, governessy presence.

a1643 J. Shute Sarah & Hagar (1649) 163 As he shall be powerfull, so he will be provoking and cruell.

1658 Whole Duty of Man (1684) Pref. 6 The abuse of mercy, which is of all sins the most provoking.

1755 R. Dodsley Let. 3 May in J. E. Tierney Corr. R. Dodsley (1988) 201 Is it not horribly provoking to be put into a situation, in which one knows not how to behave, nor what to say?

1786 J. Burgoyne Heiress iii. i. 49 What am I the better for burying a jealous wife? To be chicken-peck'd is a new persecution, more provoking than the old one.

1816 W. Scott Antiquary I. iv. 84 ‘Provoking scoundrel,’ muttered the indignant Antiquary between his teeth.

1849 T. B. Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. viii. 327 This answer, far more provoking than a direct refusal.

1884 Fortn. Rev. June 812 Joseph, unquestionably, must have been a very provoking younger brother.

1917 J. Conrad Shadow-line 204 He..burst into..a loud laugh... It was a provoking, mocking peal.

1953 M. Kennedy Troy Chimneys (new ed.) 16 Her peevish, spiteful ways are very provoking, but her lot is hard,—penned up here.

2004 Yorks. Evening Post (Nexis) 26 July This could lead to greater acceptance of a situation which many members of the local community..find extremely provoking.

1837 Times 14 Dec. 5/4 There is something in his Lordship's tone, even more than his words, the provokingness of which seems to be quite irresistible.

1901 ‘L. Malet’ Counsel of Perfection ix. 207 Commend me to the impudently-critical French stare;..for supreme provokingness.

1983 Child Devel. 54 246/1 The portrayed age..seemed to have less effect on rated cuddliness than on rated defense provokingness.