English Explanatory Dictionary

invoke

English dictionary entry

Meanings

verb

To call upon (a person, a god) for help, assistance or guidance.
To solicit, petition for, appeal to a favorable attitude.
To call another ship.
To call to mind (something) for some purpose.
To appeal for validation to a (notably cited) authority.
To conjure up with incantations.
To bring about as an inevitable consequence.
To cause (a program or subroutine) to execute.

Pronunciation

in'vōk /ɪnˈvoʊk/ /ɪnˈvəʊk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-invoke.wav

Word forms

invoke invokes invoking invoked envoke

Etymology

From Middle English *invoken, envoken, borrowed from Old French envoquer, from Latin invocāre (“to call upon”), itself from in- + vocare (“to call”). Doublet of invocate.

Synonyms

invocate solicit appeal petition signal evoke bring to mind call to mind enmind cite reference summon bring about incite abet actuate goose light a fire under send sting cheer draw drive encourage egg on engender excite foment goad grill ignite impel induce inflame instigate invoke lash motive motivate move obligate oblige push promote prompt provoke rouse set off spark off spur spur on stimulate stir stir up stoke tempt urge whet whip up call

Related words

evoke invocate invocation invocational invocatory

Derived words

invokable invoker invokingly misinvoke reinvoke uninvokable uninvoked

This entry uses open data from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA/GFDL). Word forms are used for search and are not indexed as separate pages.

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