This gigantic failure of ours was provoking a reaction in proportion, which our opponents well knew how to make feed on itself.

The failure of the colonization project provoked tremendous discontent throughout Lowland Scotland where almost every family had been affected.

This failure provoked the financial bankruptcy of the Società Veneta.

But failure to use force could provoke conservative leaders allied with the military to replace him and his policies.

Further failures provoked his retreat to Friuli, and then to Hungary, in February.

The signing, and the failure to have it ratified, provoked a public debate in French society over the charter.

Speculation persists that massive torpedo failure during this campaign provoked German naval high command into improving the weapon's performance.

There is also fear that failure to make progress in Darfur could provoke violence in the south.

A failure to do so will provoke a serious crisis in our relations with Turkey.

The failure of British cinema's first big drive on the international market-place provoked some serious reflection about why British films had only limited offshore appeal.