intended to make people angry or upset; intended to make people argue about something 挑衅的；煽动性的；激起争端的 a provocative remark 煽动性的言论 He doesn't really mean that—he's just being deliberately provocative. 他不是真有此意，只不过是存心挑逗一下罢了。 The book’s epilogue is deliberately provocative. 这本书的结尾带有故意挑衅的意味。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- seem
- consider something
- …
- extremely
- fairly
- very
- …
intended to make somebody sexually excited 引诱的；激起性欲的 a provocative smile 撩人的一笑 She was dressed in a highly provocative way. 她穿着非常挑逗的服装。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs- be
- look
- highly
- very
- sexually
- …
Word Originlate Middle English: from Old French provocatif, -ive, from late Latin provocativus, from provocat- ‘called forth, challenged’, from the verb provocare ‘challenge’, from pro- ‘forth’ + vocare ‘to call’.