Summoning up nerve to dispense with the odd act of approval (7)

I believe the answer is:

evoking

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'summoning' is the definition.
(evoking is a kind of summoning)

I don't understand how the rest of the clue works.

(Other definitions for evoking that I've seen before include "conjuring" , "Calling up memory or emotion" , "Calling up, emotions say" , "Bringing to mind" , "Summoning" .)

I've seen this clue in The Times.

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