Invoking the Latin “Voco,” Part 2

We’re calling forth the meaning of voco! This little Latin word means “to call or summon” and is the basis for several English words. In part 1, we looked at invoke and evoke. In part 2, we tackle provoke, convoke, revoke, advocate, avocation, and vocation. 

Pro-, Con-, and Revoke

To provoke means to “call forth”—to arouse, to stimulate, to excite, to peeve, to rile, to exasperate. Other forms: provocation, provocative, provocatively, provocativeness

Provoke and evoke are sometimes confused. Provoke implies calling forth on purpose or deliberately. 

To convoke means to “call together or with”—to summon, to meet. Other forms: convocate, convocational, convocationally

To revoke means to “call back”—to cancel, to reverse, to repeal, to rescind. Other forms: revocation, revoker, revocable, revocability, revocably, irrevocable, irrevocably

Advocate

To advocate means “to call to or toward,” especially for aid—to plead for, to support, to argue for, or to defend. Other forms: advocacy, advocatory, advocator, advocation

Unlike invoke, advocate implies calling on on behalf of a cause or another person. 

Vocation and Avocation

A vocation is a calling—a divine summons from God (especially for religious work), an occupation or profession to which one has been called, work for which one is paid. Other forms: vocational

An avocation is something that calls to or away from—a diversion, a distraction, a hobby, work for which one is not paid. Other forms: avocational

Vocation and avocation are sometimes confused. Thinking of the Latin is a sure way to keep them straight—a calling as opposed to a calling from or away.

An avocation, such as reading, may call one away from a vocation, such as editing.

Image courtesy of The Daring Librarian.