awake

[ uh-weyk ]

verb (used with or without object)

, a·woke [uh, -, wohk] or a·waked, a·woke or a·waked or a·wo·ken [uh, -, woh, -k, uh, n], a·wak·ing.

1. to wake up; rouse from sleep:

   I awoke at six with a feeling of dread.

2. to rouse to action; become active:

   His flagging interest awoke.

3. to come or bring to an awareness; become cognizant (often followed by to ):

   She awoke to the realities of life.

adjective

1. waking; not sleeping.
2. vigilant; alert:

   They were awake to the danger.

awake

/ əˈweɪk /

verb

1. to emerge or rouse from sleep; wake
2. to become or cause to become alert
3. usually foll by to to become or make aware (of)

   to awake to reality

4. Alsoawaken tr to arouse (feelings, etc) or cause to remember (memories, etc)

adjective

1. not sleeping
2. sometimes foll by to lively or alert

Usage

See wake 1

Other Words From

• a·wakea·ble adjective
• half-a·wake adjective
• rea·wake verb reawoke or reawaked reawaking
• una·wake adjective
• una·wakea·ble adjective
• una·waked adjective
• una·waking adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of awake¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English awaken, Old English awacen, past participle of awæcnan; a ¹, waken

Word History and Origins

Origin of awake¹

Old English awacian, awacan; see wake ¹

Example Sentences

However, on the second night of the trip, the 56-year-old and her husband, Ray, were awoken by banging on the door to inform them of Mr Kerry's death.

From BBC

This is partly because of the difficulty in recording brain activity while people are awake and talking, but mainly due to complexity of the computer analysis needed to analyze the recordings.

From Science Daily

To explore this, the authors used state-of-the-art live cell imaging to study the activity of brain cells in anaesthetised and awake mice during urination.

From Science Daily

Still jolted the team awake by intercepting a pass thrown into triple coverage on the first play of the second quarter, which led to a field goal.

From Los Angeles Times

In what is one of Europe's best performing economies, mum-of-four Emma says she lies awake at night worrying if her children will get the medical care they need.

From BBC

Related Words

• alive
• attentive
• aware
• cognizant
• vigilant