名詞 provocation:

1. unfriendly behavior that causes anger or resentment
   同義詞：aggravation, irritation
2. something that incites or provokes; a means of arousing or stirring to action
   同義詞：incitement, incitation
3. needed encouragement
   同義詞：incitement

1. He flares up at the slightest provocation.
   稍一激他，他就大發(fā)脾氣。
2. A provocation to action; a stimulus.
   激勵(lì)，刺激某種行動(dòng)的刺激; 激勵(lì)
3. They attacked our border guards without the slightest provocation.
   在事先未發(fā)生任何挑釁的情況下，他們便襲擊我們的邊防哨兵。

prov.o.ca.tion

n.（名詞）
The act of provoking or inciting.
激怒：挑釁或煽動(dòng)的行動(dòng)
Something that provokes.
挑釁性的事物

來(lái)源：
Middle English provocacioun
中古英語(yǔ) provocacioun
from Old French provocation
源自 古法語(yǔ) provocation
from Latin prôvoc3tiô prôvoc3tiôn- [a challenging]
源自 拉丁語(yǔ) prôvoc3tiô prôvoc3tiôn- [一個(gè)挑戰(zhàn)]
from prôvoc3tus [past participle of] prôvoc3re [to challenge] * see provoke
源自 prôvoc3tus [] prôvoc3re的過(guò)去分詞 [挑戰(zhàn)] *參見(jiàn) provoke