invoke

Academic Word List, sublist 10.

About 3.18 uses per million words.

Meaning

1. verb To call upon (a person, a god) for help, assistance or guidance.
2. verb To solicit, petition for, appeal to a favorable attitude.

   The envoy invoked the King of Kings's magnanimity to reduce his province's tribute after another drought.

3. verb To call another ship.
4. verb To call to mind (something) for some purpose.
5. verb To appeal for validation to a (notably cited) authority.

   In certain Christian circles, invoking the Bible constitutes irrefutable proof.

6. verb To conjure up with incantations.

   This satanist ritual invokes Beelzebub.

7. verb To bring about as an inevitable consequence.

   Blasphemy is taboo as it may invoke divine wrath.

8. verb To cause (a program or subroutine) to execute.

   Interactive programs let the users enter choices and invoke the corresponding routines.

Similar words

call forth put forward call down appeal raise conjure conjure up bring up arouse stir

Often followed by

the a it this an his their its in

Word family

invoked invoker invokers invokes invoking