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Actuate vs Provoke - What's the difference?

actuate | provoke | Related terms |

Actuate is a related term of provoke.


In lang=en terms the difference between actuate and provoke

is that actuate is to incite to action; to motivate while provoke is to bring about a reaction.

As verbs the difference between actuate and provoke

is that actuate is to activate, or to put into motion; to animate while provoke is to cause someone to become annoyed or angry.

actuate

English

Verb

(actuat)
  • To activate, or to put into motion; to animate.
  • * Johnson
  • Wings, which others were contriving to actuate by the perpetual motion.
  • To incite to action; to motivate.
  • * 1748 . HUME, David Enquiries concerning the human understanding and concerning the principles of moral. 2. ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1973. ยง 11.
  • A man in a fit of anger, is actuated in a very different manner from one who only thinks of that emotion.
  • * Addison
  • Men of the greatest abilities are most fired with ambition; and, on the contrary, mean and narrow minds are the least actuated by it.

    Derived terms

    * actuator

    See also

    * actualise, actualize ----

    provoke

    English

    Verb

    (provok)
  • to cause someone to become annoyed or angry.
  • Don't provoke the dog; it may try to bite you.
  • * Bible, Eph. vi. 4
  • Ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath.
  • to bring about a reaction.
  • * J. Burroughs
  • To the poet the meaning is what he pleases to make it, what it provokes in his own soul.
  • *{{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=November 12 , author= , title=International friendly: England 1-0 Spain , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=Spain were provoked into a response and Villa almost provided a swift equaliser when he rounded Hart but found the angle too acute and could only hit the side-netting.}}
  • (obsolete) To appeal.
  • (Dryden)

    Synonyms

    * (bring about a reaction) bring about, discompose, egg on, engender, evoke, grill, incite, induce, inflame, instigate, invoke, rouse, set off, stir up, whip up

    Derived terms

    * provocation * provocative