summon

[suhm-uhn]

verb (used with object)

1. to call upon to do something specified.

2. to call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal; call.

3. to call or notify to appear at a specified place, especially before a court.

   to summon a defendant.

4. to authorize or order a gathering of; call together by authority, as for deliberation or action.

   to summon parliament.

5. to call into action; rouse; call forth (often. followed byup ).

   to summon all one's courage.

summon

/ ˈsʌmən /

verb

1. to order to come; send for, esp to attend court, by issuing a summons

2. to order or instruct (to do something) or call (to something)

   the bell summoned them to their work

3. to call upon to meet or convene

4. (often foll by up) to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)

Other Word Forms

• summonable adjective
• summoner noun
• resummon verb (used with object)
• unsummonable adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of summon¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of summon¹

C13: from Latin summonēre to give a discreet reminder, from monēre to advise

Synonym Study

See call.

Example Sentences

Belarus on Monday summoned a Lithuanian envoy for a dressing down over a drone crash, the latest in a swirl of diplomatic standoffs between the neighbouring post-Soviet states.

Read more on Barron's

"There's been absolutely no summons sent to me, there's no charge sheet, I've had no correspondence from them - I'm not difficult to find, I'm a parliamentarian."

Read more on BBC

I was working at the BBC at the time and we were summoned to cover what had happened.

Read more on BBC

There has been a downward trend in the amount of victim-based offences resulting in a charge or summons across England and Wales, according to UK government data.

Read more on BBC

“Too many offenses now warrant only a desk appearance ticket”—a summons to appear in court at a later date, which many offenders fail to do.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ask 
• assemble 
• call 
• call for 
• call in 
• convene 
• direct 
• draft 
• gather 
• invite 
• mobilize 
• recall 
• request 
• subpoena