invoke

7 definitions • 5 examples

to use a law in order to achieve something, or to mention something in order to explain something or to support your opinion or action:

Police can invoke the law to regulate access to these places.

to request help from someone, especially a god, when you want to improve a situation:

Their sacred dance is performed to invoke ancient gods.

to make someone have a particular feeling or remember something

to call on something or someone, esp. God, for help

to cause something to be used; bring into effect:

Rather than answer the question, the witness invoked the Fifth Amendment against incriminating himself.

to use something such as a law to help you when you want to do something:

Regulators said they would invoke legal powers to enforce the change.

to make a computer program start working:

invoke sth from sth You may have to invoke the program from the command line.