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g the power or quality of exciting resentment; tending to awaken passion or vexation; as, provoking words or treatment. -- Pro*vok"ing*ly, adv.

Exasperating; provoking; irritating. [Colloq.] A thing at once ridiculous and aggravating. J. Ingelow.

Exciting to, or liable to be affected by, concupiscence; provoking lustful desires. Shak.

Fond of contention; given to angry debate; provoking dispute or contention; quarrelsome. Despotic and contentious temper. Macaulay.

To return a blow while receiving one, as in boxing. His left hand countered provokingly. C. Kingsley.

The act of defying, putting in opposition, or provoking to combat; a challenge; a provocation; a summons to combat. A war without a just defiance made. Dryden. Stood for her cause, and flung defiance down. Tennyson.

Provoking disgust; offensive to the taste; exciting aversion; disgusting. That horrible and disgustful situation. Burke.

Dissimulation; ignorance feigned for the purpose of confounding or provoking an antagonist.

Like a lecher; addicted to lewdness; lustful; also, lust- provoking. "A lecherous thing is wine." Chaucer. -- Lech"er*ous*ly, adv. -- Lech"er*ous*ness, n.

Causing or provoking hatred, repugnance, or disgust; offensive; disagreeable; repulsive; as, an odious sight; an odious smell. Milton. The odious side of that polity. Macaulay.

The act of provoking, or causing vexation or, anger. Fabyan.

Ld. Lytton. That scurvy custom of taking tobacco. Swift. [He] spoke spoke such scurvy and provoking terms. Shak.

Having the quality of provoking to sneeze.

Provoking the flow of urine; uretic; diuretic. [R.] Bacon.