以上术语均有煽动和怂恿的含义。abet ( “教唆”，尤指 “教唆罪”）指鼓励、教唆他人犯罪，常含有协助并参与犯罪之意，如abet (教唆）他人犯murder (谋杀罪），则包括命令、促使、协商、鼓励、诱惑、帮助杀人等属于知情、共谋、协助或参与犯罪的情节行为[1]。encourage则多指鼓励、支持或劝告某 人干某事[2]。在刑法中，incite几乎与abet同义，此外，在表示 激励或鼓动时，incite所导致的后果可好可坏，造成的影响也可大可小[3]。instigate指唆使或鼓动某人犯罪，常涉及一些极端行为，如 instigate an assassination 或 instigate a plot to seize control of a government等w。provoke也可指挑唆或煽动，但此种行为不必一定且经常不是经有意识策划，故常用作指一些激情或冲动性质的行为[5]。
[1 ] “To encourage and assist someone，esp. in the commission of a crime； to support (a crime) by active assistance. ” Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black's Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 4, West Group (1999).
[2 ] "In criminal law，to give courage to ； to inspirit ； to embolden ； to raise confidence ； to make confident； to help； to forward； to advise. ” Cf. The Publisher's Editorial Staff, Black's Law Dictionary, abridged 6th edition, at p. 364, West Publishing Co. (1991).
[3] “Incite means to spur to action, any may to applied to measures leading to salutary as well as deplorable results, to minor as well as profound changes. " Cf. The Editors of the Reader’s Digest， Use the Right Word，at p. 294，The Readers Digest Association Proprietary Ltd. (1971).
[4] "Instigate usually suggests the setting in motion of events that in some way threaten or upset the status quo. It will therefore convey a negative or unfavorable connotation to the extent that one deplores violent change. It suggests an insidious design to bring about some drastic action. ” Id. at p. 294.
[5] “To excite； to stimulate； to arouse. ” Cf. Bryan A. Gamer, Black，s Law Dictionary, 7th edition, at p. 852，West Group (1999). “Provoke， as here considered, can be used，like instigate，to point to a variety of results，but it does not necessarily or even commonly imply conscious design. It may on the contrary imply spontaneous reaction. ” Id. at p. 295.