provocation
noun /ˌprɒvəˈkeɪʃn/
/ˌprɑːvəˈkeɪʃn/
[uncountable, countable]- the act of doing or saying something deliberately in order to make somebody angry or upset; something that is done or said to cause this
- under provocation He reacted violently only under provocation.
- without provocation The terrorists can strike at any time without provocation.
- She bursts into tears at the slightest provocation.
- So far the police have refused to respond to their provocations.
Extra ExamplesTopics Opinion and argumentc2, Feelingsc2- She attacked him without provocation.
- The defendant was not acting under provocation.
- The victim's conduct had involved an element of provocation.
- Words alone can constitute provocation.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- extreme
- deliberate
- element
- respond to
- constitute
- under provocation
- without provocation
- at the slightest provocation
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French, from Latin provocatio(n-), from the verb provocare ‘challenge’, from pro- ‘forth’ + vocare ‘to call’.