prov·o·ca·tion 
/ˌprɑ:vəˈkeɪʃən/ noun
plural prov·o·ca·tions /ˌprɑ:vəˈkeɪʃən/ noun : an action or occurrence that causes someone to become angry or to begin to do something [count] ▪ He can turn violent at the least/slightest/smallest provocation. ▪ Her calmness in the face of repeated provocations impressed her friends. [noncount] ▪ With hardly any provocation, the crowd began to chant.
