voc-, voca-, vocab-, vocat-, -vocation, -vocative, -vocable, vok-, -voke +

One misstep leads to another.

Literally, "Hell calls hell." A warning that the first step in the temptation to go astray from what is "right" (or "morally correct") is difficult to prevent; however, we must always be on guard to strive for what is ethical and honorable.

At this word.

1. An active verbal support for a cause or political position, etc .
2. The act of advocating, or speaking or writing, in support of something; such as, an idea, a cause, or policy and giving active support.

1. Someone who argues for a cause: "She has been a supporter, a defender, and an advocate of civil rights for many years and her husband has also been a tireless advocate of social reform."
2. People who plead in behalf or others or who are intercessors: "They have been advocates for abused children and spouses in a variety of media and in social movements."
3. A lawyer is also known to be an advocate, who pleads in another person's case in a legal court."

1. A person who pleads for a cause or propounds an idea.
2. Someone who supports or speaks in favor of something or someone.
3. A lawyer who pleads cases in court.
4. To speak, to plead, or to argue in favor of something or someone.

1. The action taken by a person who pleads for or in behalf of someone else; the process of being an intercessor.
2. The process of pleading for a cause or propounding an idea.
3. A reference to the transaction whereby someone pleads the cause of another person in a court of law.

Devil's advocate.

This term is generally used to describe someone who takes the unpopular (opposite) side in an argument (either out of contentiousness or out of a zeal for the truth).

This epithet originally applied to the Vatican official charged with finding objections to beatification or canonization; or, in other words, it was his responsibility to argue against the sainthood of a candidate who was being considered.

Since the 16th century, this individual's title has been promotor fidei, "promotor of the faith" as expressed in the Catholic Encyclopedia which clarifies his function as follows: "The seemingly negative work of the promoter of the faith undoubtedly has a great positive value, in as much as it prevents the Church from pronouncing a certain and favorable judgment on the life and works of a person without possessing unquestionable proof."

1. The right in English ecclesiastical law of a presentation to a vacant benefice, a right exercised by nomination of a clergyman to such church or other benefice (a church office that provides a living for its holder through an endowment [money] attached to it).
2. In English law, a right of presentation to a vacant benefice; or in other words, a right of nominating a person to officiate in a vacant church.

Advowsons are of three kinds:

• Presentative, when the patron presents his clerk to the bishop of the diocese to be instituted.
• Collative, when the bishop is the patron, and institutes, or collates his clerk, by a single act.
• Donative, when a church is founded by the king, and assigned to the patron, without being subject to the ordinary, so that the patron confers the benefice on his clerk, without presentation, institution, or induction.

3. Etymology: from Middle English avouson, from Old French avoeson, from Medieval Latin advocatia, from Latin advocatio, "a summoning", from advocare, "to summon".

1. A person who is employed to encourage people to break the law so they can be arrested and prosecuted: "The government used agents provocateurs to try to undermine the opposition party so they would lose the election."
2. A secret agent implanted in an organization; such as, a trade union or political party, to incite its members to actions or declarations that will result in penalties or punishment.

The love of one's own voice.

1. A hobby or pastime; not one's normal work.
2. The opposite of one's career or occupation.
3. Etymology: "a calling away from one's occupation", from Latin avocationem, "a calling away"; and Latin avocare, "to call away"; from ad-, "away" plus vocare, "to call".

1. To declare the provable truth or validity of; to affirm: "The father avouched that his son could not have committed the crime."
2. To corroborate or to confirm; to vouch for: "Was the police officer able to avouch his accusations?"
3. To accept responsibility for (an action, for example); to acknowledge.
4. To avow; to confess.
5. Etymology: from Middle French avochier, "call upon as authority"; from Old French and Latin advocare, "to call to" as a witness.

That which is capable of being avouched to or verified.

1. Someone who makes frank acknowledgment or affirmation of something.
2. Those who declare or assert something with strong declarations.

1. Statements asserting the existence or the truth of something.
2. Declarations that are made emphatically; as if no supporting evidence were necessary.