invokein‧voke /ɪnˈvəʊk $ -ˈvoʊk/ AWL verb [transitive] formal 
Word Origin Examples
The UN threatened to invoke economic sanctions if the talks were broken off.2to make a particular idea, image, or feeling appear in people’s minds by describing an event or situation, or by talking about a person → evoke: a painting that invokes images of the Rocky Mountains During his speech, he invoked the memory of Harry Truman.3to use a law, principle, or theory to support your views4to operate a computer program5to ask for help from someone more powerful than you, especially a god: St. Genevieve is often invoked against plagues.6to make spirits appear by using magic: invoking the spirits of their ancestors
Word OriginWORD ORIGINinvoke
Verb TableOrigin:
1400-1500 French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from vocare ‘to call’VERB TABLE
invoke
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | invoke |
| he, she, it | invokes | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | invoked |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have invoked |
| he, she, it | has invoked | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had invoked |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will invoke |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have invoked |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am invoking |
| he, she, it | is invoking | |
| you, we, they | are invoking | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was invoking |
| you, we, they | were invoking | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been invoking |
| he, she, it | has been invoking | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been invoking |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be invoking |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been invoking |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
word sets- Judge Pregerson, in his dissent, invoked an individual's right to be left alone.
- Rev. Moran invoked a blessing.
- Fole and the others help him complete his designs, and subsequently assist in invoking the spirits.
- I invoked all the Lord Cardinal's power to organise a search for you.
WORD SETS► Computers
Collocationsaccess, verbaccess point, nounaccess time, nounaccounting system, accumulator, nounadd-on, nounADSL, nounaffective computing, nounAI, nounALGOL, nounalias, nounANSI, anti-spam, adjectiveanti-virus, adjectiveanti-virus software, nounAPL, nounapp, nounApple, Apple Macintosh, applet, nounapplication, nounapplication software, nounarcade game, nounarchitecture, nounarchive, nounarchive, verbarray, nounartificial intelligence, nounASCII, nounASIC, nounASP, nounassembly language, nounasynchronous, adjectiveAT&T, attachment, nounaudit trail, nounautomate, verbautomated, adjectiveautomation, nounavatar, nounB2B exchange, nounB2C, adjectiveB2E, adjectiveBabbage, Charles, backslash, nounbackspace, nounbackup, nounback-up copy, bandwidth, nounbar code, nounBASIC, nounbatch, nounbatch processing, nounbaud rate, nounBerners-Lee, Tim, bespoke, adjectivebeta test, nounBig Blue, bioinformatics, nounbiometric, adjectivebit, nounbitmap, nounBlackBerry, nounbloatware, nounblog, nounBluetooth, nounBMP, nounbond certificate, book entry, bookmark, nounbookmark, verbbook of final entry, nounbook of first entry, nounBoolean, adjectiveboot, verbbootable, adjectivebootstrapping, nounbot, nounbotnet, nounbps, brain dump, nounbroadband, nounbrown goods, nounbrowse, verbbrowser, nounbubble jet printer, nounbuddy list, nounbuffer, nounbuffer, verbbug, nounbulletin board, nounbundle, nounbundle, verbburn, verbbus, nounbusiness continuity services, nounbusiness continuity services, button, nounbyte, nounCabinet Office Briefing Rooms, cable modem, nouncache, nouncache, verbCAD, nounCAD/CAM, nounCAL, nounCalifornia, nounCALL, nounCAM, nounCambridge, Capita, caps lock, nouncapture, verbcapture, nouncard, nouncathode ray tube, nounCAT scan, nounCBT, nounCD-R, nounCD-ROM, nounCD-ROM drive, CDRW, nounCD-RW, nouncentral processing unit, nouncentral processor, nounCGI, nounCHAPS, character, nounchat room, nouncheat, nouncheckbox, nounchip, nounchip card, CIM, CIO, clerical assistant, click, verbclickable, adjectiveclient, nounclient machine, client-server, adjectiveclient/server architecture, clip art, nounclipboard, nouncloaking, nounclock cycle, nounclock speed, nounclone, nouncluster, nounCOBOL, nouncode, nouncoder, nouncom, Comdex, nouncommand, nouncomm port, comms, nouncompact disc, nounCompaq, compatibility, nouncompatible, adjectivecompatible, nouncompile, verbcompiler, nouncompress, verbcomputer, nouncomputer (industry) analyst, computer-aided, adjectivecomputer-aided design, nouncomputer-aided manufacture, computer-aided manufacturing, nouncomputer-assisted, adjectivecomputerate, adjectivecomputer-based training, computer-generated, adjectivecomputer-integrated manufacture, computerize, verbcomputer-literate, adjectivecomputer modelling, nouncomputer science, nouncomputer system, computer virus, nouncomputing, nounconcordance, nounconfiguration, nounconfigure, verbconnect, verbconnectivity, nounconsole, nouncontrol, nouncontrol key, nouncookie, nouncoordinate, nounCorel, corrupt, verbcounter, nouncourseware, nounCPU, nouncrack, verbcrack, nouncracker, nouncrash, verbcrash, nounCroft, Lara, cross-platform, adjectivecross-posting, nounCtrl, nouncursor, nouncut, verbcutover, nouncyber-, prefixcybercrime, nouncybernetics, nouncyberpunk, nouncybersickness, nouncyberspace, nouncyberterrorist, nouncyberwidow, noundata, noundata bank, noundatabase, noundatabase management, database management system, data capture, noundata centre, data dictionary, noundata encryption standard, noundata file, data interchange format file, data mining, noundata processing, noundata protection, Data Protection Act, the, Dateline, daytrader, nounday trading, nounDBMS, debug, verbdecision support system, decode, verbdecompress, verbdecrypt, verbdefault, noundefragment, verbDel, noundelete, verbdeletion, noundeliverable, noundematerialize, verbdemo, verbdemonstration version, denial of service attack, noundeselect, verbdesktop, noundesktop computer, noundesktop publishing, noundestination site, dialogue box, noundial-up, adjectivedigerati, noundigicam, noundigital nervous system, digital rights management, digital wallet, nounDilbert, direct access, noundirectory, noundisaster recovery, noundisc, noundisinfect, verbdisk, noundisk drive, noundiskette, noundisk operating system, display, noundisplay, verbdistributed processing, Dixons, dock, noundock, verbdocking station, noundocument, noundocument sharing, noundongle, nounDOS, noundot-matrix printer, noundouble click, verbdouble-click, verbdouble density, adjectivedown, adverbdownload, verbdownload, noundownloadable, adjectivedowntime, noundown time, downwardly compatible, adjectiveDP, noundrag, verbdrive, noun-driven, suffixdriver, noundropdown, noundrop down, noundrop-down menu, nounDTP, noundumb terminal, dump, verbdump, nounDVD, nounDVD-ROM, nounEasdaq, noune-book, noune-business, nounECN, noune-commerce, nouneditor, nounedutainment, noune-fatigue, nounE-FIT, nounEFTPOS, nounelectronic, adjectiveelectronic bill of lading, electronic cottage, nounelectronic data interchange, nounelectronic funds transfer, nounelectronic invoice, electronic mail, nounelectronic media, electronic publishing, nounelectronics, nounelectrosmog, nounEllison, Larry, email, nounemail account, embed, verbencrypt, verbend-to-end, adjectiveenter, verbenterprise application integration, nounentry, nounEPROM, noune-publishing, nounequipment leasing, erase, verbErnie, error, nounerror message, nounescape key, Ethernet, noune-ticket, nounE-ticket, nounexecutable, nounexecute, verbexecution, nounexit, verbexpansion card, nounexpansion slot, nounexpert system, nounexport, verbextension, nounextranet, nouneye scan, nounF2F, adjectivefabricator, nounfactory preset, nounfatware, nounfeed, verbfeed, nounfield, nounfifth generation computer, file, nounfile manager, nounfilename, nounfile sharing, nounfile transfer, filing system, filter, nounfirewall, nounfirmware, nounfirst generation, nounfirst in, first out, nounfirst-person shooter, nounfive nines, nounfixed wireless, nounflash, verbflash, nounflash drive, nounflash memory, nounflatscreen, adjectiveflat screen, flip chip, nounfloor broker, floppy disk, nounfly-by-wire, nounfolder, nounfont, nounfooter, nounfootprint, nounforklift upgrade, nounformat, verbFortran, nounforum, noun404, adjectivefreeware, nounftp, nounfunction, nounfunctionality, nounfunction key, nounfungible, adjectivefuzzy logic, nounGame Boy, gameplay, noungamer, noungaming, noungarbage in, garbage out, Gates, Bill, gateway, nounghost, nounGIF, noungigabit, noungigabyte, nounGIGO, GIS, nounGlitter, Gary, global, adjectiveGLOBEX, nounGMS, nounGoogle, gopher, noungraphical, adjectivegraphical user interface, noungraphics, noungraphics card, noungraphic software, grid computing, noungroupware, nounGUI, nounhack, verbhack, nounhacker, nounhacktivist, nounhandshake, nounhard copy, nounhard disk, nounhard drive, nounhardware, nounhard-wired, adjectiveHawk, Tony, Hawking, Stephen, head, nounheader, nounhelp, nounhelp desk, nounhelp menu, help screen, nounHewlett Packard, hexadecimal, adjectivehigh-definition, adjectivehigh-level, adjectivehigh-level language, highlight, verbhome computer, home office, nounhome shopping, hookup, nounhook-up, nounhost computer, hot key, nounhot link, nounhot spot, nounHTML, nounhttp, hyperlink, nounhypertext, nounIBM, icon, nounICT, nounidentifier, nouniMac, nounimport, verbinbox, nounincremental backup, nounincubator space, industrial design, infect, verbinfected, adjectiveinformation exchange, information retrieval, nouninformation system, information technology, nouninfowar, nouninitialize, verbinkjet printer, nouninput, nouninput, verbinput/output, adjectiveinstall, verbinstaller, nounInstinet, Intel, intelligent terminal, interactive, adjectiveinteractive whiteboard, nouninterface, nouninterface, verbInternational Securities Exchange, nounInternet cafe, nounInternet Service Provider, interpreter, nounintranet, nouninvoke, verbIP address, nouniPod, nouniris scan, nounISDN, nounISP, nounIT, nouniterate, verbiTunes, iTV, nounJava, nounjob, nounjob bank, Jobs, Steve, joystick, nounJPEG, nounK, KB, keno, nounkey, nounkeyboard, nounkeyboard, verbkeyboarder, nounkeypad, nounkeystroke, nounkeyword, nounkilobyte, nounkit, nounkludge, nounknowledge base, Kraftwerk, LAN, nounlanguage, nounlaptop, nounlaser disk, nounlaser printer, nounlaunch, verbLCD, nounlight industry, nounlight pen, nounline printer, nounlink, verbLinux, nounLISP, nounlisting paper, listserv, nounload, verblocal area network, nounlog file, LOGO, nounloop, nounlow-level, adjectiveMac, nounmachine, nounmachine code, nounmachine language, machine-readable, adjectiveMacintosh, nounmacro, nounmagnetic disk, nounmagnetic media, nounmagnetic tape, nounmail, nounmail, verbmailbomb, nounmailbox, nounmailing list, nounmail merge, nounmainframe, nounmainframe computer, main memory, manual, adjectivemaximize, verbmegabyte, nounmemory, nounmemory address, memory bank, nounmemory card, nounmemory hog, nounMemory Stick, nounmenu, nounmessage, nounmetadata, nounmicro, nounmicrochip, nounmicrocomputer, nounmicroelectronics, nounmicroprocessor, nounMicrosoft, MIDI, nounmigrate, verbmigration, nounMillennium bug, minicomputer, nounminimize, verbmips, mission-critical, adjectiveMIT, mixer, nounmodel, nounmodel, verbmodelling, nounmodem, nounmodule, nounmonitor, nounMoore, Gordon, Moore's Law, nounmorphing, nounmotherboard, nounMotorola, mouse, nounmouse mat, nounmouse miles, nounmouse potato, nounMP3 player, nounMP4 player, nounMPEG, nounMSC, nounMS-DOS, multimedia, adjectivemulti-player gaming, nounmultiple applications, multiplexer, nounmultitasking, nounnagware, nounNasdaq, nounNASDAQ, Naseem, Prince, National Market System, nounNEC, nerd, nounnest, verbNetscape Navigator, network, nounnetwork, verbneural computer, nounneural network, nounneuroinformatics, nounnewbie, nounnew economy, nounNintendo, node, nounnoise, nounnotebook, nounnumber-cruncher, nounnumber crunching, nounobject, nounobject language, object-oriented, adjectiveOCR, nounOfex, nounoffice machinery, offline, adverboff-line, adjectiveonline, adjectiveonline catalogue, online updating, nounon-screen, adjectiveopen, verbOpen Group, the, open outcry, nounopen system, nounoperating system, nounoperation, nounoptical character recognition, nounoptical fibre, nounoption, nounorder, nounorganizing business, OSI, nounoutbox, nounoutput, nounoutput, verbover-the-counter dealing, over-the-counter market, over-the-counter share, over-the-counter stock, over-the-counter trading, overwrite, verbP2P, adjectivepackage, nounpacket, nounpacket-switching, nounpage, nounpage break, nounpalette, nounpalm phone, nounpalmtop, nounpaperless, adjectiveparallel data query, parallel port, parallel processing, nounPASCAL, nounpass-along, adjectivepassword, nounpaste, verbpasting, nounpatch, nounpause, verbPC, nounPC Card, nounPDA, nounPDF, nounPDF file, pen drive, nounPentium, peripheral, adjectiveperipheral, nounpersonal communicator, nounpersonal computer, nounpersonal electronic device, nounpersonal organizer, nounpetaflop, nounphishing, nounping, verbpiracy, nounpirate, verbpixel, nounplasma screen, nounplatform, nounplatform game, nounPlayStation, plotter, nounplug and play, nounplug-and-play, adjectiveplug-in, nounpointer, nounpop-under, nounpop-up, nounport, nounport, verbportable, adjectivepost, verbpost-industrial, adjectivePostScript, nounPowerPoint, nounprint, verbprinter, nounprintout, nounprint-out, nounprint preview, nounprocess, verbprocessing, nounprocessor, nounprogram, nounprogram, verbprogram file, programmable, adjectiveprogrammer, nounprogramme trading, programming, nounprogramming language, PROLOG, nounPROM, nounprompt, verbprompt, nounprotocol, nounPsion, pull down, nounpull-down, adjectivepull-down menu, nounpunched card, nounquantum computer, nounQuarkXPress, queue, nounqwerty, adjectiveRAM, nounrandom access memory, nounread, verbread only memory, read-only memory, nounread-out, nounread-write, adjectivereal-time, adjectivereboot, verbrecall, verbre-chip, verbrecord, nounrecord, verbrefresh, verbreload, verbremaster, verbremote access, nounremote control, nounremote working, nounreseller, nounreset, verbrespawn, verbretinal scanner, nounretrieval, nounretrieve, verbretry, verbreturn, nounright-click, verbrip, verbroad warrior, nounrobot, nounrollover, nounROM, nounRoute 128, nounrouter, nounroutine, nounRSI, nounRTF, nounrun, verbsalami slicing, nounSamsung, save, verbscalability, nounscalable, adjectivescan, verbscanner, nounscramble, verbscreen, nounscreen-based, adjectivescreen dump, nounscreensaver, nounscreen saver, nounscreenshot, nounscroll, verbscroll bar, nounscroll key, SCSI, nounSEAQ, search, nounsearch, verbsearchable, adjectivesearch engine, nounSEATS, nounsecurity rating, SEGA, self-healing, adjectivesend, verbserial port, server, nounserver farm, nounservice bureau, nounservice pack, nounSET, nounset-up, nounSFA, nounSGML, nounshareware, nounshift, nounshift key, nounshoot-'em-up, nounshopping bot, sig file, nounsilicon, nounsilicon chip, nounSilicon Fen, nounSilicon Glen, Silicon Valley, sim, nounSIMM, nounsimulation, nounSinclair, Sir Clive, single sourcing, skin, nounslo-mo, adjectivesmall office/home office, nounsmart, adjectivesmart bomb, nounsneakernet, nounsoft copy, nounsoftware, nounsoftware engineering, SoHo, SOHO, nounSonic the Hedgehog, sort, nounsoundcard, nounsource code, nounspace bar, nounspam, nounspeech recognition, nounspeech recognition software, speech synthesizer, nounspellcheck, nounspellchecker, nounspell-checker, nounspider, nounspider food, nounspim, nounsplit screen, nounspreadsheet, nounspreadsheet software, spyware, nounstandalone, adjectivestand-alone, adjectivestandby time, nounStarr Report, the, nounstarter pack, nounstart-up, nounstorage, nounstorage unit, store, verbstore-and-forward, nounstrategic information system, stream, verbstreaming, nounStreet Fighter, string, nounstylus, nounsubdirectory, nounsubroutine, nounsuite, nounSun Microsystems, sunrise industry, nounsupercomputer, nounsuperserver, nounsupport, verbsupport, nounswitching, nounsynchronous, adjectivesyntax, nounsynthespian, nounsystem, nounsystem administrator, nounsystems analyst, nounsystems programmer, system tray, nountab, verbtab key, nountab stop, nountag, nountag, verbtape, nountape drive, taskbar, nountechie, nountechnical support, nountechno-, prefixtechnocracy, nountechno-geek, nountechnophobe, nountechy, telecentre, nountelecommuter, nountelematics, nounteleprinter, nounteleworker, nountemplate, nounterabyte, nounteraflop, nounterminal, nountestdeck, nountext-to-speech, adjectivethird-generation, adjectivethird-party software, thumbnail, nountickbox, nountick box, nountime out, nountime-sharing, nountitle bar, nountoggle, nountoner, nountoolbar, nountoolbox, nounTOPIC, nountop-level domain, nountop ranking, nounTorvalds, Linus, Toshiba, Tottenham Court Road, touchpad, nountouch screen, nountrackball, nountransaction processing, transputer, nounTrojan horse, nountroubleshooter, nounTTS, Turing, Alan, tutorial, nounundo, verbuninstall, verbunique visitor, nounUnix, noununlisted share, unlisted stock, unrecoverable error, unzip, verbup, adverbupdate, nounupgrade, verbupload, verbupload, nounuptime, nounusability, nounUSB, nounUSB drive, nounuser-friendly, adjectiveuser group, nounuser interface, nounuser name, nounUS Robotics, utility, nounVActor, nounvalid, adjectivevalue-added reseller, vapourware, nounVDT, nounVDU, nounVGA, nounvideocard, nounvideo game, nounvideo snacking, nounviral marketing, nounvirtual, adjectivevirtual corporation, virtually, adverbvirtual memory, nounvirtual office, nounvirtual organization, virtual reality, nounvirus, nounvoice print, nounvoice recognition, wallpaper, nounWAN, nounWAP, noun-ware, suffixwar game, nounWAV, nounwearable, nounWeb 2.0, nounweb browser, nounweb crawler, nounweb design, nounweb development, web-enabled, adjectiveweb hosting, nounweb log, nounweb log file, wide area network, wi-fi, nounWi-Fi, nounwild card, nounwindow, nounWindows, Wintel, wipe, verbWiponet, nounwireless internet, wireless networking, nounWord, Wordperfect, word processor, nounworkspace, nounworkstation, nounWorld Wide Web, the, worm, nounWozniak, Steve, write, verbwrite-protected, adjectiveWYSIWYG, nounXbox, XML, nounY2K, nounYahoo!, zap, verbzip file, nounzombie, noun
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB► also
1if you invoke a law, rule etc, you say that you are doing something because the law allows or forces you to: · The program can also invoke your favourite bitmap editor as soon as a screen is captured.· Also invoked against childhood diseases and physical abuse.· Also invoked against appendicitis, intestinal disease, and seasickness.· Also invoked against eye trouble and foxes.· Also invoked against leg disorders and vermin.· She is also invoked against injuries.· Also invoked against disasters and plagues.
NOUN► act· Although the upper house may reject it again, the Government can now invoke the Parliament Act to force the measure through.
► amendment· Boelens invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination when he refused to answer questions at a creditors meeting on Monday.· Simpson can not invoke Fifth Amendment protection for himself because he already has been acquitted of murder.
► clause· If that happens; and the White Sox don't have to invoke the clause.· Congress also invoked the Equal Protection Clause in support of the act, but this was not considered by the Court.
► disease· Also invoked against childhood diseases and physical abuse.· Also patron of sailors; he is invoked against intestinal disease and seasickness.· She is invoked against bacterial diseases and thunderstorms.
► jurisdiction· In addition to any statutory rights of appeal, there may be a right to invoke the inherent supervisory jurisdiction of the High Court.
► law· In the early days of the Bonn Republic members of the higher courts freely invoked a revived Natural Law.· Other states with federal forests harmed by Opal also have invoked the new salvage-timber law.· In practice it has never had to invoke this law.· The company writes to the culprits, invoking the copyright laws as it reads them.· The principle of copyright remains sound, but invoking it in cyberspace may be like invoking trespass laws in the Old West.
► name· He had invoked his name in the hope that it would silence Manning and stop his questioning.· Novels, newspapers and films feed the public with the ideas of a Freud without ever invoking his name.· I had to invoke your sacred name before he would agree to do it.· An older man chants a prayer and invokes the name of Jerusalem.· Labour had now the most natural of themes, invoking the almost sacred name of Nye Bevan.· They invoked the names of the founding fathers.
► procedure· The governors of one school said they might invoke opting-out procedure to avoid the school's becoming co-educational.· Is the dispute resolution procedure invoked? 3 Who can invoke the dispute resolution procedure and how?· Both voted to invoke the procedure by which a school seeks to become grant-maintained.· It is not surprising that, in those circumstances, very few tenants are invoking the arbitration procedures.· The user must write software to set up the appropriate input parameters and invoke the required procedure.· It is a simple extension of that approach to then use methods to invoke pieces of procedure and function.
► process· Transfers between databases invoke lengthy processes and have subsidiary backup and archiving implications.
► rule· In order to invoke the rule against prior restraint, the defendant must state on affidavit his intention to justify the allegation.
The UN threatened to invoke economic sanctions if the talks were broken off.2to make a particular idea, image, or feeling appear in people’s minds by describing an event or situation, or by talking about a person → evoke: a painting that invokes images of the Rocky Mountains During his speech, he invoked the memory of Harry Truman.3to use a law, principle, or theory to support your views4to operate a computer program5to ask for help from someone more powerful than you, especially a god: St. Genevieve is often invoked against plagues.6to make spirits appear by using magic: invoking the spirits of their ancestors