provoke
♦ pro|voke /prəv'oʊk/ (provokes provoking provoked)
1 [VERB] V n, V n into -ing/n
If you provoke someone, you deliberately annoy them and try to make them behave aggressively.
He started beating me when I was about fifteen but I didn't do anything to provoke him...
I provoked him into doing something really stupid.
2 [VERB] V n
If something provokes a reaction, it causes it.
His election success has provoked a shocked reaction...
1 [VERB] V n, V n into -ing/n
If you provoke someone, you deliberately annoy them and try to make them behave aggressively.
He started beating me when I was about fifteen but I didn't do anything to provoke him...
I provoked him into doing something really stupid.
2 [VERB] V n
If something provokes a reaction, it causes it.
His election success has provoked a shocked reaction...