---
title: provocation — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «provocation» in the school dictionary: Provocation is something done or said on purpose to make someone angry or to make them react. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# provocation

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** Provocation, them, He, you, She, insults · **What happens:** be, do, say, make, react, mean · **To what, where:** something, purpose, someone, them, one such action, boy · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«provocation» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [provocation in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/provocation.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Provocation is something done or said on purpose to make someone angry or to make them react.

<!-- fold The tree, 17 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:m1:1
# text = Provocation is something done or said on purpose to make someone angry or to make them react.
1	Provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	0	root	_	_
4	done	do	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	3	acl	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	said	say	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	conj	_	_
7	on	on	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
8	purpose	purpose	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	obl	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	acl	_	_
11	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	10	obj	_	_
12	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	10	xcomp	_	_
13	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	15	cc	_	_
14	to	to	PART	TO	_	15	mark	_	_
15	make	make	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	10	conj	_	_
16	them	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	15	obj	_	_
17	react	react	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	15	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | Provocation | something |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **do** | participle |  |  |  | purpose |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **say** *speech: assert* | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn say-37.7-1-1 «NP V that S»: agent=Agent |
| 4 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  | angry *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset someone=Product |
| 5 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **react** | infinitive | them *= they* *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn respond-113 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
A provocation is one such action.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:m2:1
# text = A provocation is one such action.
1	A	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	nsubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	one	one	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	6	nummod	_	_
5	such	such	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	action	action	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present | a provocation | one such action |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
«Without provocation» means without any reason.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:m3:1
# text = «Without provocation» means without any reason.
1	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	3	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	Without	without	ADP	IN	_	3	case	_	_
3	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nsubj	_	SpaceAfter=No
4	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	3	punct	_	_
5	means	mean	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	without	without	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	8	det	_	_
8	reason	reason	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **mean** | present | provocation |  |  |  |  | without any reason | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He hit the boy without any provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x1:1
# text = He hit the boy without any provocation.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	hit	hit	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	boy	boy	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	without	without	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	any	any	DET	DT	PronType=Ind	7	det	_	_
7	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **hit** | past | He | the boy |  |  |  | without any provocation | vn contiguous\_location-47.8-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Theme boy=Co-Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't react to provocation — walk away.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x2:1
# text = Don't react to provocation — walk away.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	react	react	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	ADP	IN	_	5	case	_	_
5	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	,	_	7	punct	_	_
7	walk	walk	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	conj	_	_
8	away	away	ADV	RB	_	7	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **react** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | to provocation | vn respond-113 «NP V PP.theme»: agent=Agent to provocation=Theme |
| 2 | **walk away** | infinitive | you *not said here* |  |  |  |  | away *property* | vn resign-10.11-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
She gets angry at the slightest provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x3:1
# text = She gets angry at the slightest provocation.
1	She	she	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	gets	get	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	angry	angry	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	xcomp	_	_
4	at	at	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
5	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
6	slightest	slight	ADJ	JJS	Degree=Sup	7	amod	_	_
7	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **get** | present | She |  |  |  |  | angry *property* | vn comprehend-87.2-1 «NP V S\_ING»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The insults were a deliberate provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x4:1
# text = The insults were a deliberate provocation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	insults	insult	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	6	nsubj	_	_
3	were	be	AUX	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	6	cop	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	deliberate	deliberate	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | past | the insults | a deliberate provocation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dog bit the man without provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x5:1
# text = The dog bit the man without provocation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	bit	bite	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	man	man	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	without	without	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **bite** | past | the dog | the man |  |  |  | without provocation | vn swat-18.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent man=Patient |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Under provocation, he stayed calm.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x6:1
# text = Under provocation, he stayed calm.
1	Under	under	ADP	IN	_	2	case	_	_
2	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	2	punct	_	_
4	he	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	5	nsubj	_	_
5	stayed	stay	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
6	calm	calm	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **stay** | past | he |  |  | provocation |  | calm *property* | vn exist-47.1 «NP V PP.location»: agent=Theme under provocation=Location |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Name-calling is provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x7:1
# text = Name-calling is provocation.
1	Name	name	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	-	-	PUNCT	HYPH	_	1	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
3	calling	calling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	compound	_	_
4	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
5	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is a** | present |  | calling provocation |  |  |  |  | tree rules |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The army saw the move as a provocation.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x8:1
# text = The army saw the move as a provocation.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	army	army	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	saw	see	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	move	move	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	as	as	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **see** | past | the army | the move |  |  |  | as a provocation | vn comprehend-87.2-1-1 «NP V NP PP.attribute»: agent=Experiencer move=Stimulus as provocation=Attribute |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The Eagle gave the first provocation in seizing upon and in eating the young ones of the Beetle.

<!-- fold The tree, 18 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provocation:x9:1
# text = The Eagle gave the first provocation in seizing upon and in eating the young ones of the Beetle.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	Eagle	Eagle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	gave	give	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	first	first	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos|NumForm=Word|NumType=Ord	6	amod	_	_
6	provocation	provocation	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
7	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	8	mark	_	_
8	seizing	seize	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	advcl	_	_
9	upon	upon	ADP	IN	_	8	advmod	_	_
10	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	12	cc	_	_
11	in	in	SCONJ	IN	_	12	mark	_	_
12	eating	eat	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	8	conj	_	_
13	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
14	young	young	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	15	amod	_	_
15	ones	one	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	12	obj	_	_
16	of	of	ADP	IN	_	18	case	_	_
17	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	18	det	_	_
18	Beetle	Beetle	PROPN	NNP	Number=Sing	15	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
19	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **give** | past | the Eagle | the first provocation |  |  |  |  | vn give-13.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent provocation=Theme |
| 2 | **seize** | gerund | the Eagle *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn obtain-13.5.2 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent |
| 3 | **eat** | gerund | the Eagle *not said here* | the young ones of the Beetle |  |  |  |  | vn eat-39.1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent one=Patient |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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