waken

American  

[wey-kuhn] / ˈweɪ kən /

verb (used with object)

1. to rouse from sleep; wake; awake; awaken.

2. to rouse from inactivity; stir up or excite; arouse; awaken.

   to waken the reader's interest.

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verb (used without object)

1. to wake, or become awake; awaken.

waken British  

/ ˈweɪkən /

verb

1. to rouse or be roused from sleep or some other inactive state

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Other Word Forms

• rewaken
  verb
• unwakened
  adjective
• wakener
  noun

Etymology

Origin of waken

before 900; Middle English waknen, Old English wæcnan; cognate with Old Norse vakna; akin to wake ¹; see -en ¹

Example Sentences

Waken not yet, O frail and weak! but still sleep—sweetly, soundly sleep, yet awhile, and only wake to be a full, true, loving man, forgiving and forgiven!'

From Tom Clark and His Wife Their Double Dreams, And the Curious Things that Befell Them Therein; Being the Rosicrucian's Story by Randolph, Paschal Beverly

Waken all the men, and have each man carry as much ammunition as he can pack.

From Uncle Sam's Boys in the Philippines or, Following the Flag against the Moros by Hancock, H. Irving (Harrie Irving)

Waken lords and ladies gay, The mist has left the mountain grey.

From Bibliomania; or Book-Madness A Bibliographical Romance by Dibdin, Thomas Frognall

Waken him before she takes the next wave!

From The Coming of the King by Babcock, Bernie

"Waken," he cried, "I must waken thee from thy long sleep."

From Operas Every Child Should Know Descriptions of the Text and Music of Some of the Most Famous Masterpieces by Bacon, Mary Schell Hoke