incite
in-SITEverbMeaning to urge people on, especially to trouble or violence
Memory hook IN-CITE: urges everyone IN SIGHT on. Rex jumps onto a lunch table and yells “Food fight!”, urging everyone in sight to start throwing. He incites trouble.
The prankster tried to incite a food fight in the cafeteria.
In context Instead of calming the angry fans, the loudmouth in the front row tried to incite them, shouting that they should rush onto the field.
Similar urge on, stir up, provoke, whip up
Opposite calm, discourage, deter
From Latin incitare, “to set in rapid motion, to urge on”: in (on) + citare (to set moving).