invoke
UK: ɪnˈvəʊk | US: ɪnˈvoʊk
vt. to call upon (a higher power, law, or authority) for help or support
vt. to cite or appeal to (a principle, example, etc.) as justification
vt. to evoke or conjure (a feeling, image, or memory)
invoke = in<upon> + voke<call>
- in: A Latin prefix meaning "upon" or "into," often indicating direction or influence.
- voke: Derived from Latin vocare ("to call"), retained in English as a root in words like "vocal" or "provoke."
Etymology Origin:
The word "invoke" traces back to Latin invocare, combining in- ("upon") and vocare ("to call"). Originally used in religious contexts to mean "to call upon a deity for aid," it later broadened to include appeals to abstract principles or emotional evocations. The root voke appears in related terms like "revoke" (to call back) and "convoke" (to call together), showcasing its persistent logic of "calling" in various forms.
The priest began to invoke the gods during the ritual.
She invoked her right to remain silent when questioned by the police.
The poem invokes a sense of nostalgia for childhood summers.
The lawyer invoked a precedent from a similar case to support his argument.
Artists often invoke mythology to add depth to their work.