invoke

in·voke  (n-vk)

tr.v. in·voked, in·vok·ing, in·vokes

1. To call on (a higher power) for assistance, support, or inspiration: "Stretching out her hands she had the air of a Greek woman who invoked a deity" Ford Madox Ford.

2. To appeal to or cite in support or justification.

3. To call for earnestly; solicit: invoked the help of a passing motorist.

4. To summon with incantations; conjure.

5. To resort to; use or apply: "Shamelessly, he invokes coincidence to achieve ironic effect" Newsweek.

6. Computer Science To activate or start (a program, for example).

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[Middle English envoken, from Old French invoquer, from Latin invocre : in-, in; see in-² + vocre, to call; see wek^w- in Indo-European roots.]

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in·voker n.

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invoke

Verb

[-voking, -voked]

1. to put (a law or penalty) into use: chapter 8 of the UN charter was invoked

2. to bring about: the hills invoked a feeling of serenity

3. to call on (God or another deity) for help, inspiration, etc.

4. to summon (a spirit) by uttering magic words [Latin invocare to appeal to]

USAGE: Invoke is sometimes wrongly used where evoke is meant: this proposal evoked (not invoked) a strong reaction.

Thesaurus

Verb	1.	invoke - summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by magic; "raise the specter of unemployment"; "he conjured wild birds in the air"; "call down the spirits from the mountain" bring up, call down, conjure, conjure up, call forth, put forward, arouse, evoke, stir, raise anathemise, anathemize, bedamn, beshrew, damn, imprecate, maledict, curse - wish harm upon; invoke evil upon; "The bad witch cursed the child" bless - give a benediction to; "The dying man blessed his son" create, make - make or cause to be or to become; "make a mess in one's office"; "create a furor" call forth, evoke, kick up, provoke - evoke or provoke to appear or occur; "Her behavior provoked a quarrel between the couple"
	2.	invoke - cite as an authority; resort to; "He invoked the law that would save him"; "I appealed to the law of 1900"; "She invoked an ancient law" appeal cite, mention, refer, advert, name, bring up - make reference to; "His name was mentioned in connection with the invention"
	3.	invoke - request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or protection; "appeal to somebody for help"; "Invoke God in times of trouble" appeal call for, request, bespeak, quest - express the need or desire for; ask for; "She requested an extra bed in her room"; "She called for room service" plead - appeal or request earnestly; "I pleaded with him to stop" call on, turn - have recourse to or make an appeal or request for help or information to; "She called on her Representative to help her"; "She turned to her relatives for help"

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invoke

verb 1. apply, use, implement, call in, initiate, resort to, put into effect

verb 2. call upon, appeal to, pray to, petition, conjure, solicit, beseech, entreat, adjure, supplicate

Translations

invoke [ɪnˈvəuk] vt → invocar [+ aid]; pedir [+ law]; recurrir a

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invoke [ɪnˈvəuk] vt → invoquer

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invoke [ɪnˈvəuk] vt → anrufen;

(feelings, memories etc) → heraufbeschwören

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invoke [ɪnˈvəuk] vt → invocare