provocation

noun

• 1action or speech that makes someone annoyed or angry, especially deliberately:you should remain calm and not respond to provocation he burst into tears at the slightest provocation
• Law action or speech held to be likely to prompt physical retaliation:the assault had taken place under provocation

• 2 Medicine testing to elicit a particular response or reflex:twenty patients had a high increase of serum gastrin after provocation with secretin