the.com/provoke
To poke the bear, then act shocked when the bear has opinions.
means To deliberately stir up a reaction, emotion, or response in someone or something.
from From Latin provocare, to call forth, stitching pro- (forth) to vocare (to call) — literally summoning a reaction out of someone like a genie from a bottle.
Legal cousinProvocation can legally downgrade murder to manslaughter.
Same rootShares vocare with vocal, vocation, and advocate.
Neutral originsOnce meant simply to summon or invite, no malice.