All 8 Uses

provoke
in
The Hunt for Red October
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Finally, this could be an attempt to provoke or divert us, drawing our attention to this while they are preparing to spring a surprise somewhere else.†
Chpt 6. *

provoke = cause (a reaction)
If you try to provoke somebody, you don't do it in his front yard.†
Chpt 6.
"So, they provoke us and now pretend nothing has happened?" the captain growled.†
Chpt 10.
"It was foolish to provoke them," Stralbo observed sourly.†
Chpt 11.
They do not want us here—and in allowing ourselves to be provoked by their aggressive actions, we fall into their trap.†
Chpt 11.

provoked = caused (a reaction)
If they continue to provoke us, we will act as though our mission is indeed peaceful—which it is as far as they are concerned—and protest our innocence.†
Chpt 11.

provoke = cause (a reaction)
If they continue to provoke us, we shall watch to see what their tactics are, and give them nothing in return.†
Chpt 11.
They know that having so many of their ships operating off our coast is bound to provoke us, so they make the first move, we up the ante, and they just plain fold—so now if we keep leaning on them, we're the bad guys.†
Chpt 12.

Definitions:

(1) (provoke)
to cause a reaction — often an emotional reaction like anger, and sometimes done on purpose
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)