[Vocabulary] He's testing the waters.

[beachboy]

If I am a very quiet man who hardly ever accepts provocations, but there is this guy who keeps picking on me just to check how much I can bear, can I say that he's testing the waters? Btw, is there better way to say "accept provocations"?

 

[teechar]

No, "test the waters" has a different meaning. Say: "He's trying my patience."

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/test-the-water-s

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/try-one-s-patience

And no, use the third-person singular ("accepts") with "who."

 

[beachboy]

No, "test the waters" has a different meaning. Say: "He's trying my patience."

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/test-the-water-s

http://www.dictionary.com/browse/try-one-s-patience


And no, use the third-person singular ("accepts") with "who."

Use the third-person singular ("accepts") with "who"? I mean, I'm wondering if there is a more common expression with the same meaning.

 

[teechar]

Aha! Try "doesn't tolerate being provoked".

 

[Tdol]

You could say that he's seeing how far he can go/take it/push it.