serving or tending to provoke, excite, or stimulate; stimulating discussion or exciting controversy; "a provocative remark"; "a provocative smile"; "provocative Irish tunes which...compel the hearers to dance"- Anthony Trollope
exciting sexual desire; "her gestures and postures became more wanton and provocative"
payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence; "every store in the neighborhood had to pay him protection"
the activity of protecting someone or something; "the witnesses demanded police protection"
the imposition of duties or quotas on imports in order to protect domestic industry against foreign competition; "he made trade protection a plank in the party platform"
the condition of being protected; "they were huddled together for protection"; "he enjoyed a sense of peace and protection in his new home"