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

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# provoke

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** film, animal, you, dog, He, joke · **What happens:** provoke, be, make, react, bother, attack · **To what, where:** someone, purpose, them, reaction, laughter, animal · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«provoke» 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: [provoke in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/provoke.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To provoke someone is to annoy them on purpose to make them angry or react.

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

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | to-infinitive |  | someone |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus someone=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  | purpose |  | annoy *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **make** | to-infinitive |  | them *= they* |  |  |  | angry *property* | vn build-26.1-1 «NP.asset V NP»: agent=Asset they=Product |
| 4 | **react** | infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | 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 -->
To provoke a reaction or feeling is to cause it: «The film provoked laughter».

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:m2:1
# text = To provoke a reaction or feeling is to cause it: «The film provoked laughter».
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	9	advcl	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	reaction	reaction	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	6	cc	_	_
6	feeling	feeling	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	conj	_	_
7	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	9	cop	_	_
8	to	to	PART	TO	_	9	mark	_	_
9	cause	cause	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	:	:	PUNCT	:	_	15	punct	_	_
12	«	«	PUNCT	``	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
13	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	14	det	_	_
14	film	film	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	nsubj	_	_
15	provoked	provoke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	9	parataxis	_	_
16	laughter	laughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	15	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	»	»	PUNCT	''	_	15	punct	_	SpaceAfter=No
18	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	9	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | to-infinitive |  | a reaction or feeling |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus reaction=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | cause *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **provoke** *in a quote* | past | the film | laughter |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus laughter=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To provoke an animal is to tease or bother it so it may attack.

<!-- fold The tree, 14 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:m3:1
# text = To provoke an animal is to tease or bother it so it may attack.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	an	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	animal	animal	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	_
5	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
6	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
7	tease	tease	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
8	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	9	cc	_	_
9	bother	bother	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	7	conj	_	_
10	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	obj	_	_
11	so	so	ADV	RB	_	14	advmod	_	_
12	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	14	nsubj	_	_
13	may	may	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	14	aux	_	_
14	attack	attack	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | to-infinitive |  | a animal |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus animal=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present |  |  |  |  |  | tease *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **bother** | infinitive |  | animal |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus it=Experiencer |
| 4 | **attack** | may | animal |  |  |  |  |  | vn attack-60.1-1 «NP V»: agent=Agent |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Don't provoke the dog — it might bite.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x1:1
# text = Don't provoke the dog — it might bite.
1	Do	do	AUX	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	3	aux	_	SpaceAfter=No
2	n't	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	3	advmod	_	_
3	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	dog	dog	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	—	-	PUNCT	,	_	9	punct	_	_
7	it	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	9	nsubj	_	_
8	might	might	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	9	aux	_	_
9	bite	bite	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **provoke** | imperative · do-support | you *not said here* | the dog |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus dog=Experiencer |
| 2 | **bite** | might | dog |  |  |  |  |  | vn swat-18.2 «NP V PP»: agent=Agent |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
He tried to provoke me by calling me names.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x2:1
# text = He tried to provoke me by calling me names.
1	He	he	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Masc|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	2	nsubj	_	_
2	tried	try	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	to	to	PART	TO	_	4	mark	_	_
4	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	2	xcomp	_	_
5	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	4	obj	_	_
6	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	7	mark	_	_
7	calling	call	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	4	advcl	_	_
8	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	7	obj	_	_
9	names	name	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	7	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **try** | past | He |  |  |  |  |  | vn try-61.1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Agent clause=Eventuality |
| 2 | **provoke** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | He *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus i=Experiencer |
| 3 | **call** | gerund | He *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn dub-29.3.2 «NP V NP NP»: agent=Agent i=Theme name=Result |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The joke provoked a lot of laughter.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x3:1
# text = The joke provoked a lot of laughter.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	joke	joke	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	provoked	provoke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	lot	lot	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
7	laughter	laughter	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | past | the joke | a lot of laughter |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus lot=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The new rule provoked complaints.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x4:1
# text = The new rule provoked complaints.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	3	det	_	_
2	new	new	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	3	amod	_	_
3	rule	rule	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	4	nsubj	_	_
4	provoked	provoke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	complaints	complaint	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | past | the new rule | complaints |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus complaint=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never provoke a snake.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x5:1
# text = Never provoke a snake.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	4	det	_	_
4	snake	snake	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **provoke** | imperative | you *not said here* | a snake |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus snake=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Her question provoked a long discussion.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x6:1
# text = Her question provoked a long discussion.
1	Her	her	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Gender=Fem|Number=Sing|Person=3|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	question	question	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	provoked	provoke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	6	det	_	_
5	long	long	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	discussion	discussion	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **provoke** | past | Her question | a long discussion |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus discussion=Experiencer |
| 2 | **question** |  | Her *= she* |  |  |  |  |  | nom question «communication transitive»: poss=agent |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
My sister loves to provoke me.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x7:1
# text = My sister loves to provoke me.
1	My	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	2	nmod:poss	_	_
2	sister	sister	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	loves	love	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	me	I	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Number=Sing|Person=1|PronType=Prs	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **love** | present | My sister |  |  |  |  |  | vn admire-31.2-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Experiencer clause=Stimulus |
| 2 | **provoke** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive | My sister *not said here* | me |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus i=Experiencer |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The speech provoked anger in the crowd.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x8:1
# text = The speech provoked anger in the crowd.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	speech	speech	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	provoked	provoke	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	anger	anger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obj	_	_
5	in	in	ADP	IN	_	7	case	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	crowd	crowd	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 | **provoke** | past | the speech | anger |  | the crowd |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus anger=Experiencer |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
It is wiser to bear a single injury in silence than to provoke a thousand by flying into a rage.

<!-- fold The tree, 20 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:provoke:x9:1
# text = It is wiser to bear a single injury in silence than to provoke a thousand by flying into a rage.
1	It	it	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Gender=Neut|Number=Sing|Person=3|PronType=Prs	3	nsubj	_	_
2	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	3	cop	_	_
3	wiser	wise	ADJ	JJR	Degree=Cmp	0	root	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	bear	bear	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	csubj	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
7	single	single	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	injury	injury	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	_
9	in	in	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	silence	silence	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obl	_	_
11	than	than	SCONJ	IN	_	13	mark	_	_
12	to	to	PART	TO	_	13	mark	_	_
13	provoke	provoke	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	advcl	_	_
14	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	15	det	_	_
15	thousand	thousand	NUM	CD	NumForm=Word|NumType=Card	13	obj	_	_
16	by	by	SCONJ	IN	_	17	mark	_	_
17	flying	fly	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	13	advcl	_	_
18	into	into	ADP	IN	_	20	case	_	_
19	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	20	det	_	_
20	rage	rage	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	17	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
21	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **is** | present | It |  |  |  |  | wise *property* | tree rules |
| 2 | **bear** | to-infinitive |  | a single injury |  | silence |  |  | vn birth-28.2-1-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent injury=Patient |
| 3 | **provoke** | to-infinitive |  | a thousand |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus thousand=Experiencer |
| 4 | **fly** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  | into a rage *result* | vn run-51.3.2-2-1 «NP V PP.result»: agent=Theme into rage=Result |

<!-- 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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