First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
invoke
verb in·voke \in-ˈvōk\
: to mention (someone or something) in an attempt to make people feel a certain way or have a certain idea in their mind
: to refer to (something) in support of your ideas
: to make use of (a law, a right, etc.)
in·vokedin·vok·ing
Full Definition of INVOKE
transitive verb
1
a : to petition for help or support b : to appeal to or cite as authority
2
: to call forth by incantation : conjure
3
: to make an earnest request for : solicit
4
: to put into effect or operation : implement
See invoke defined for English-language learners
See invoke defined for kids
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Examples of INVOKE
- Nietzsche is so complex that he can be invoked in support of many outlooks, some of them brutal or nihilistic. —Thomas Nagel, New Republic, 14 Jan. 2002
- There are some people who commit murder as a way of invoking the death penalty. Capital punishment can sometimes, then, be equivalent to suicide. —George Freeman Solomon, People, 17 Jan. 1977
- We began poring over the typewritten recipes at the dining room table, where I foolishly invoked the name of Julia Child … —Gael Greene, New York, 13 Sept. 1971
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Origin of INVOKE
Middle English envoken, from Middle French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from in- + vocare to call, from voc-, vox voice — more at voice
Related to INVOKE
Rhymes with INVOKE
ad hoc, backstroke, baroque, bespoke, blow smoke, breaststroke, brushstroke, bur oak, chain-smoke, convoke, cork oak, cowpoke, downstroke, evoke, ground stroke, heatstroke, holm oak, in-joke, keystroke, kinfolk, kinsfolk, menfolk, pin oak, post oak, presoak, provoke, red oak, revoke, scrub oak, she-oak, sidestroke, silk oak, slowpoke, sunchoke, sunstroke, tan oak, townsfolk, uncloak, unyoke, upstroke, white oak, workfolk
INVOKE Defined for Kids
invoke
verb in·voke \in-ˈvōk\
in·vokedin·vok·ing
Definition of INVOKE for Kids
1
: to ask for aid or protection (as in prayer)
2
: to call forth by magic <invoke spirits>
3
: to appeal to as an authority or for support <She invoked the Sunday rule as soon as he returned from the skateboard park and a family outing was launched. — Carl Hiaasen, Hoot>
Word Root of INVOKE
The Latin word vox, meaning “voice,” and the related word vocāre, meaning “to call”, give us the root voc or vok. Words from the Latin vox or vocāre have something to do with the voice or with calling. Anything vocal is produced by the voice. A vocation is the work that someone is called to do as a job. To evoke is to call forth. To invoke is to call on for aid or protection. To provoke is to call forth another's anger. The word voice also has vox as its root.
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