provoke
v
1
(a) [Tn] make (sb) angry or annoyed 激怒(某人); 惹(某人)气恼
I am not easily provoked, but this behaviour is intolerable! 我这人不爱生气, 但是这种行为使人忍无可忍!
If you provoke the dog, it will bite you. 你招惹那条狗, 它会咬你的.
(b) [Tn.pr, Cn.t]
~ sb into doing sth/to do sth cause sb to react to sth esp by making him angry 使某人对某事物作出反应(尤指使用刺激手段)
His behaviour finally provoked her into leaving him. 他把她气得终於离开了他.
He was provoked by their mockery to say more than he had intended. 他受到他们嘲笑恼羞成怒, 说了一些过头的话.
2 [Tn] cause (sth) to occur or arouse (a feeling, etc) 使(某事物)产生; 引起(某种感情等)
provoke laughter, riots, smiles, violence 引起大笑、 暴乱、 微笑、 暴力行为.
The wall behind looks a bit grey and dull. What can we do to make it look less ugly?
后面那堵墙看起来有点暗。我们能不能让它漂亮点?
If you want to send a letter to an office abroad that is in a different time zone, you can send a fax, and it will be received even though the office is not open.
如果你要寄信到不同时区的国外办公室,你可以发个传真,即使办公室不开门,信也会被收到。
It was beginning to get dark. I think we'd best stay the night here, I said.