summon
Americanverb (used with object)
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to call upon to do something specified.
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to call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal; call.
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to call or notify to appear at a specified place, especially before a court.
to summon a defendant.
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to authorize or order a gathering of; call together by authority, as for deliberation or action.
to summon parliament.
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to call into action; rouse; call forth (often. followed byup ).
to summon all one's courage.
verb
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to order to come; send for, esp to attend court, by issuing a summons
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to order or instruct (to do something) or call (to something)
the bell summoned them to their work
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to call upon to meet or convene
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(often foll by up) to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)
Related Words
See call.
Other Word Forms
- resummon verb (used with object)
- summonable adjective
- summoner noun
- unsummonable adjective
Etymology
Origin of summon
First recorded in 1175–1225; from Medieval Latin summonēre “to summon,” Latin: “to remind unofficially, suggest,” equivalent to sum- sum- + monēre “to remind, warn”; replacing Middle English somonen, from Old French semondre, somondre, from unattested Vulgar Latin summonere, Latin summonēre, as above
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Occultists have learned that by deploying sound vibrations they can summon angels from the cosmic ether and entrap them on earth.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026
Byrne has said she has a go-to phrase -- "Patty hired 24-hour security for Katie" -- when she finds herself struggling to summon the Yankee drawl.
From Barron's • Mar. 5, 2026
A congressional committee has voted to summon US Attorney General Pam Bondi to testify about the investigation into convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026
Opera’s costume shop, summon the spectacular opulence of this music-obsessed Viennese world.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026
“Aye, aye, it is,” Ranofer agreed, but he could not summon as much enthusiasm as Heqet seemed to expect.
From "The Golden Goblet" by Eloise Jarvis McGraw
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
