[syn: appeal, invoke]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Invoke \In*voke"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Invoked; p. pr. & vb.
n. Invoking.] [F. invoquer, L. invocare; pref. in- in, on +
vocare to call, fr. vox voice. See Voice, and cf.
Invocate.]
To call on for aid or protection; to invite earnestly or
solemnly; to summon; to address in prayer; to solicit or
demand by invocation; to implore; as, to invoke the Supreme
Being, or to invoke His and blessing.
[1913 Webster]
Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, . .
.
Invoke his warlike spirit. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
invoke
v 1: summon into action or bring into existence, often as if by
magic; "raise the specter of unemployment"; "he conjured
wild birds in the air"; "call down the spirits from the
mountain" [syn: raise, conjure, conjure up, invoke,
evoke, stir, call down, arouse, bring up, put
forward, call forth]
2: cite as an authority; resort to; "He invoked the law that
would save him"; "I appealed to the law of 1900"; "She
invoked an ancient law" [syn: invoke, appeal]
3: request earnestly (something from somebody); ask for aid or
protection; "appeal to somebody for help"; "Invoke God in
times of trouble" [syn: appeal, invoke]