provocative 
II. . Anything that tends to excite appetite 
or passion ; a stimulaut. 
Provocative! to stir vp appetite 
To brutish lust & sensual! delight 
Must not be wanting. 
TimeS Whistle (E. E. T. S.), p. 87. 
On a superficial view it might be supposed that so eager- 
seeming a personality was unsulted to the publican's busi- 
ness ; but in fact It was a great provocative to drinking. 
Oeorye Eliot, Felix Holt, xi. 
provocativeness (pro-vok'a-tiv-ues), n. The 
quality of being provocative or stimulating. 
Bailey, 1727. 
proyocatoryt (pro-vok'a-to-ri), . [< L. provoca- 
torius, pertaining to a challenge or challenger, 
< provocator, a challenger, an exciter, < proro- 
catus, pp. of provocare, call forth or out: see 
provoke.] A challenge. 
provokable (pro-vo'ka-bl), a. [< provoke + 
-able. Cf. provocable.] Capable of being pro- 
voked. 
Irascible, and therefore provokable. 
Cudvorth, Intellectual System, p. 188. 
provoke (pro-vok'), v. ; pret. and pp. provoked, 
ppr. provoking. [< ME. proroken, < OF. (and F. ) 
provoquer = Sp. PC. prorocar = It. provocare, 
< L. provocare, call forth, call out, challenge, 
summon, appeal, incite, excite, provoke, < pro, 
forth, + vocare, call, summon, convoke: see vo- 
cation. Cf. avttke, convoke, evoke, invoke, revoke.] 
1. trans. If. To call forth or out; challenge; 
summon . 
This lenity, this long-forbearing and holding of his hand, 
provoketh us to repent and amend. 
Latimer, Sermon bef. Edw. VI., 1560. 
He, sitting me beside in that same shade, 
Provoked me to plaie some pleasant lit. 
Spenser, Colin Clout, I. 09. 
He now provoke* the sea-gods from the biiore. 
Dryden, ,Ent:id, vi. 
2. To stimulate to action; move; excite; 
arouse. 
Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to 
good works. Heb. x. 24. 
Beauty provoketh thieves sooner than gold. 
Shak., As you Like It, I. 3. 112. 
lie ever near his watches, cheer his labours, 
And, where his hope stands fair, provoke his valour. 
Fletcher, Humorous Lieutenant, i. 1. 
Mine [shadow), spindling into longitude immense, . . . 
Provoke* me to a smile. . Cowper, Task, v. 14. 
In solid and molten bodies a certain amplitude cannot 
lie surpassed without the introduction of periods of vibra- 
tion which provoke the sense of vision. 
Tyndatt, Badlatlon, 8 10. 
3. To call forth ; cause; occasion; instigate. 
Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath. 
Shak., 1 Hen. VI., li. 3. 70. 
Cant is good to provoke common sense. 
Emerson, Fortunes of the Republic. 
4. To excite to auger or passion ; exasperate ; 
irritate; enrage. 
Charity ... is not easily provoked. 1 Cor. xffi. 5. 
Take heed you laugh not at me ; 
Provoke me not ; take heed. 
Fletcher, Wildgoose Chase, iii. 1. 
I am a little provok'd at you. I have something to be 
angry with you for. 
A". Bailey, tr. of Colloquies of Erasmus, I. 117. 
= Syn. 2 and 3. To stir up, rouse, awake, induce. Incite, 
impel, kindle. 4. Irritate, Interne, etc. (see exasperate), 
offend, anger, chafe, nettle, galL 
II. intrant. If. To appeal. 
Even Ai ins and Pelagius durst provoke 
To what the centuries preceding spoke. 
Dryden, Religlo Laici, 1. 346. 
2. To produce anger or irritation. Compare 
provoking. 
provokementt (pro-vok'ment), . [< proroke 
+ -ment.] Provocation. 
Whose sharpe provokement them Incenst so sore 
That both were bent t' avenge his usage base. 
Spenser, F. Q., IV. IT. 4. 
provoker (pro-vo'ker), w. One who or that 
which provokes, excites, promotes, or stirs up ; 
one who stirs up anger or other passion. 
In the raene whyle mine enemies still encrease ; 
And my prouokers hereby doo angmente, 
That without cause to hurt me do not cease. 
Wyatt, Ps. xxxviil. 
Drink, sir, is a great jmvoker of three things, . . . nose- 
painting, sleep, and urine. Shak., Macbeth, ii. 3. 27. 
As common perturbers of the quyet people, and capy- 
taiues and prouokers of trayterous rnfflings. 
Uraflon, Hen. VIII., an. 17. 
As In all civil insurrections, the ringleader Is looked on 
with a peculiar severity, so, in this case, the first provoker 
has double portion of the guilt. 
Government oj the Tvwjue. 
provoking (pro-vo'king), p. a. Having the 
power or quality of exciting resentment ; teiid- 
4807 
ing to stir up passion; irritating; vexatious: 
as, provoking words ; provoking treatment. 
One, his equal in athletic frame. 
Or, more provokiny still, of nobler name. 
Courper, Hope, 1. 192. 
provokingly (pro-v6'king-li), adv. In a pro- 
voking manner ; so as to excite auger or aunoy- 
ance. 
This erudite but provokingly fragmentary edition of a 
true poet. 
A. IS. Grotart, Blog. Sketch of Bp. John King, In King on 
[Jonah, p. ... 
provost (prov'ost), H. [< ME. provost, protest, 
partly < AS. prafost, prafest,prauost,profost (= 
OFries. progost, provest = Ml), proost, D. prost 
= MLG. provest, prost = OKG-jirobast, probist, 
provost, probasto, prubesto, MHG. probent, pro- 
vist, probst, brobest, brobst, G. probst = Icel. pro- 
fastr = Sw. prost = Dan. provst, provost, dean), 
and partly < OF. provost, prevost,F. prevot = Pr. 
jtrebost = Sp. Pg. preboste = It. prevosto, prepos- 
tt>, < L. prsepositus, a principal, president, chief, 
provost, pp. of prieponere, put or set before, set 
over as chief, < pree, before, + ponere, set, place : 
see i>onen t, posit. Cf . prepositor, prepostor.] 1 . 
One who is appointed to superintend or preside 
over something; the chief or head of certain 
bodies, (a) The head of one of certain colleges (as of 
Oriel, i.'iirr n ., etc., In the university of Oxford, of King's 
College, Cambridge, Eton College, etc.): equivalent to 
principal in other colleges. (6) Lccle*., the chief digni- 
tary of a cathedral or collegiate church : In monastic or- 
ders, a second in authority under an alibot or the head of 
a subordinate house. ) In the Scotch burghs, the cliiei 
magistrate, corresponding to the English mayor. The 
chief magistrates of Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Perth, 
and Dundee are styled lord provost. The title provost was 
formerly given to the heads of corporations iu England. 
My trusty provost, tried and tight, 
Stand forward for the Good Town's right. 
Scott, Carle, Now the King's Come. 
(d) The keeper of a prison ; a chief jailer. 
The kyng commaunded hym and sayd : Prouost, get yon 
men togyther well horsed, and pursewe that traytonr syr 
Peter of Craon. Berners,tr.ot Froissart'sChron.,lI.clxxxv. 
The provoet hath 
A warrant for his execution. 
Shak., M. for M., I. 4. 73. 
('D Formerly, one holding a position in the English schools 
of fence higher than that of scholar and lower than that 
of master. 
2. A temporary prison in which the military 
police confine prisoners until they are disposed 
of Provost marshal, (a) In the army, an officer who 
acts as the head of pilice of any district, town, or camp, for 
the preservation of order, and to bring to punishment all 
offenders against military discipline. He is responsible 
for all prisoners confined on charges of a general nature 
under the articles of war, and in the flela his power is 
summary, (b) In the navy, an officer who is charged with 
the safe-keeping of a prisoner, pending his trial by a court 
martial, and who is responsible for his production before 
the court whenever his presence is required. [Also pro- 
nounced pro'VQ mar'shal, in partial imitation of the mod- 
ern V.prfvM.] PTOVOBt sergeant, a sergeant who has 
charge of the military police, and also, in the British ser- 
vice, of the custody of prisoners in the cells. 
provostalt, . [< OF. prevostal, F. prevotul, < 
prevost, provost : see provost.'] Pertaining to a 
provost, (.'otgrare. 
provostert. n. [< provost + -er 1 ; ult. a var. of 
prepostor.] Same as provost, 1 (e). 
For of fence, almost in everye towne. there is not only 
malsters to teach it, with his provosters, ushers, schol- 
ars . . . Ascham, Toxophilus, L 
provostry (prov'ost-ri), n. [< ME. provostrye, 
< OF. prerosterie, the office of a provost, < pre- 
vost, provost: see provost."] If. Provostship; 
the office of provost or chief magistrate. 
Certes the dlgnite of the provostrye of Rome was whylom 
a gret power. Chaucer, Boethins, IU. prose 4. 
2. A district or town under the jurisdiction of 
a provost, or an ecclesiastical or monastic foun- 
dation of which a provost is the head. [Scotch.] 
The Promttry of Abernethle. 
Spottinroode, Hist. Scotland. 
We likewise make, constitute and ordain, and perpet- 
ually establish the Provostry of the said Collegiate Church 
of the Holy Trinity near Edinburgh, upon the following 
Fruits and Appointments, as hereafter limited and modi- 
fled. Charter ofTrin. Coll. Church, 1574 (Maitland, 
[Hist. Edinburgh, p. 207). 
provostship (prov'ost-ship), n. [< provost + 
-ship.] The office of a 
provost. 
What an enormity is this 
in a Christian realm, to serve 
in a civility, having the profit 
of a provostship, and a dean- 
ery, and a parsonage ! 
Latimer, 2d Sermon bef. 
[Edw. VI., 1549. 
prow 1 (prou), n. [< OF. 
/iniiir, F. proue = Pr. 
Sp. Pg. proa = It. 
Prow of French Ship of War of 
about t6So. 
prowler 
< L. prora, < Gr. irpvp , the bow of a ship, < irp6, 
before. Cf . prore.] 1. The fore part of a ship ; 
the bow ; the beak. 
With that they bid n amalne English dogs, and came 
vpon our quarter starl>oard ; and, gluing vs flue cast pieces 
out of her prove, they sought to lay vs aboord. 
HaUuyt's Voyages, III. 506. 
Turn thy curved prme ashore, 
And In our green Isle rest foreverniore. 
Lowell, The Sirens. 
2. In :'/.. a prora. 
prow 2 t (prou), n. [< ME. prow, < OF. prou, 
prod, profit, advantage : origin uncertain. Cf. 
prowess.] Profit; advantage; benefit. 
All thynges is mayd, man, for thy prowe, 
All creatours shall to the bowe 
That here la mayd erthly. 1'ori Plays, p. 20. 
So ye lyve al in lest, 
Ye lovers, for the konnyngest of yow, 
That serveth most ententlfliche and best, 
Hym tyt als often harme there of as provx. 
Chaucer, Troilus, L S33. 
prow' 2 (prou), a. [ME. 'prow (not found), < OF. 
prou, prod, prude, pros, pro:, tera.prode, prude, 
good, excellent, brave, F.preux = PT.pro: = It. 
prode, brave, valiant, doughty. Cf. wrote 2 , ., 
&nd prude.] Valiant. [Now rare and archaic.] 
They be two the provest knights on grownd. 
Spenser, f. Q., II. lit 15. 
From prime to vespers will I chant thy praise 
A* prowest knight and truest lover. 
Ti-Hnijtiin, Pelleas and Ettarre. 
prow :t t, " An obsolete form of proa. 
prowess (prou'es), n. [Early mod. E. also 
prowes,proues,prowse; < ME. prowess, prowesse, 
< OF. prouesse, goodness, excellence, bravery, 
F.prouesse (= Pr. Sp. Pg.;>rocro = H.prodezza), 
bravery, (. prou, good, excellent, brave : see 
proic 2 .] If. Excellence; virtue; goodness; in- 
tegrity. 
Ful selde up riseth by his branches smule 
/Vowvjwe of man, for God of his goodnessc 
Wol that of hym we clayme oure gentilesse. 
Chaucer, Wife of Bath's Tale, 1. 273. 
2. Bravery; valor; particularly, military brav- 
ery combined with skill ; gallantry ; daring. 
And the! were noble knyghtes and hardy, and full of 
high prowest. Merlin (E. E. T. S-\ I. 117. 
Your self his prinrrsse prov'd, and found him flers and hold. 
Spenser, F. Q., II. viii. 13. 
Proofs of princes* are above all things treasured by the 
savage. 11. Spencer, Prin. of Soclol., | 280. 
3t. A feat or deed of valor; a valiant act. 
KyngeCodogan . . . remembredeallethejn-ntrefflMthat 
he hadde sein hym do, and so sadly he sat in that thought 
that alle thei were troubled, and lefte theire mete. 
Jferim (E. E. T. S.>, li. 226. 
prowessfult (prou'es-fiil), a. [(.prowess + -/"'] 
Bold; fearless; daring. [Rare.] 
Nimrod usurps: his prowcs-fuH Policy 
To gain himself the Goal of Souerainty. 
Sylvester, tr. of Du Bartaa's Weeks, II., Babylon (Arg.). 
prowl (proul), t'. [Formerly also proul, var. of 
earlier proll, prole, < ME. prollen, prolen, search 
about ; perhaps a contr. freq. form, < proke, in 
like sense: Bee proke, and cf. prog.] I. trans. 
1 . To rove or wander over in a stealthy man- 
ner : as, to proicl the woods or the streets. 
He prowls each place, still in new colours deck'd. 
Sir P. Sidney. 
2t. To collect by plunder. 
By how many tricks did he proll money from all parts 
of Christendom? Barrow, Pope's Supremacy. 
H. intrans. 1. To rove or wander stealthily, 
as one in search of prey or plunder; search 
carefully, and in a quiet or secretive manner. 
Though ye prulle ay, ye ahul It never fynde. 
Chaucer, Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 401. 
We travel sea and soil, we pry, we prowl, 
We progress, and we prog from pole to pole. 
Quartet, Emblems, II. 2. 
Wild and savage insurrection quitted the woods, and 
proofed about our streets in the name of reform. 
Burke, To a Noble Lord. 
He walked to the railway station and prowled all about, 
with a forlorn sort of hope that she might have missed 
her train. Mrs. Wiphant, Poor Gentleman, xxxvi. 
2f. To plunder; prey; foray, 
prowl (proul), n. [< prowl, v.] The act of 
prowling; a roving as for prey: as, to be on the 
prowl. [Colloq.] 
The bar-girl that walla, the bailiff on the proui. 
Thackeray, Four Georges, p. 218. 
prowler (prou'ler), . One who prowls or roves, 
as for prey. 
Such run-about prattlers, by night and by day, 
See punished Justly, for prowling away. 
Tusser, Husbandry, September. 
Suttle Prmciers, Pastors in Name, but Indeed Wolves. 
Milton, Hist Eng., ill. 
On church-yards drear (Inhuman to relate !) 
The disappointed prmciers fall, and dig 
The shrouded body from the grave. 
Thomson, Winter. 
