From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishinvokein‧voke /ɪnˈvəʊk $ -ˈvoʊk/ AWL verb [transitive] formal 1 if you invoke a law, rule etc, you say that you are doing something because the law allows or forces you to The UN threatened to invoke economic sanctions if the talks were broken off.2 APPEARto 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.3 SCLPto use a law, principle, or theory to support your views4 to operate a computer program5 RRHELPto ask for help from someone more powerful than you, especially a god St. Genevieve is often invoked against plagues.6 ROMto make spirits appear by using magic invoking the spirits of their ancestors→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
invoke• Rev. Moran invoked a blessing.• I invoked all the Lord Cardinal's power to organise a search for you.• Judge Pregerson, in his dissent, invoked an individual's right to be left alone.• Fole and the others help him complete his designs, and subsequently assist in invoking the spirits.From Longman Business Dictionaryinvokein‧voke /ɪnˈvəʊk-ˈvoʊk/ verb [transitive]LAW to use a law, principle etc to support a view or decisionThe seller of the goods invoked an exclusion clause in the guarantee.→ See Verb tableOrigin invoke (1400-1500) French invoquer, from Latin invocare, from vocare “to call” 