invoke
Use Invoke in a sentence
verb (used with object), in·voked, in·vok·ing.
1.
to call for with earnest desire; make supplication or pray for: to invoke God's mercy.
2.
to call on (a deity, Muse, etc.), as in prayer or supplication.
3.
to declare to be binding or in effect: to invoke the law; to invoke a veto.
4.
to appeal to, as for confirmation.
5.
to petition or call on for help or aid.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
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Link To invoke
00:10
Invoke
is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
| an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle. |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
invoke (ɪnˈvəʊk) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —vb | |
| 1. | to call upon (an agent, esp God or another deity) for help, inspiration, etc |
| 2. | to put (a law, penalty, etc) into use: the union invoked the dispute procedure |
| 3. | to appeal to (an outside agent or authority) for confirmation, corroboration, etc |
| 4. | to implore or beg (help, etc) |
| 5. | to summon (a spirit, demon, etc); conjure up |
| [C15: from Latin invocāre to call upon, appeal to, from vocāre to call] | |
| usage Invoke is sometimes wrongly used where evoke is meant: this proposal evoked (not invoked) a strong reaction | |
| in'vocable | |
| —adj | |
| in'voker | |
| —n | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
invoke
1490, from M.Fr. envoquer (12c.), from L. invocare "call upon, implore," from in- "upon" + vocare "to call," related to vox (gen. vocis) "voice" (see voice).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Cite This Source
Example sentences
Politicians and the media invoke the certainty of social instability should the number of foreigners rise.
Unlike too many of those who in modern time invoke their authority, they had a choice between the two.
In another vein, wriggly free-form shapes invoke both vegetation and the handles of baroque urns.
If you want to invoke the second law, there are no exceptions to this part of the rule.
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