Showing results for "summons"

• present tense form of summon (3rd person singular).

summons

American  

[suhm-uhnz] / ˈsʌm ənz /

noun

summonses plural

1. an authoritative command, message, or signal by which one is summoned.

2. a request, demand, or call to do something.

   a summons to surrender.

3. Law.

   1. a call or citation by authority to appear before a court or a judicial officer.

   2. the writ by which the call is made.

4. an authoritative call or notice to appear at a specified place, as for a particular purpose or duty.

5. a call issued for the meeting of an assembly or parliament.

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verb (used with object)

summonses, present (3rd person singular) summonsed, past participle, past summonsing present participle

1. to serve with a summons; summon.

summons British  

/ ˈsʌmənz /

noun

1. a call, signal, or order to do something, esp to appear in person or attend at a specified place or time

2. 1. an official order requiring a person to attend court, either to answer a charge or to give evidence

   2. the writ making such an order Compare warrant

3. a call or command given to the members of an assembly to convene a meeting

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verb

1. to take out a summons against (a person)

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonsummons
  noun
• resummons
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• summonses
  plural

Participles

• summonsing
  present
• summonsed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• summons
  simple
• summonses
  simple
• have summonsed
  perfect
• has summonsed
  perfect
• am summonsing
  progressive
• are summonsing
  progressive
• is summonsing
  progressive
• have been summonsing
  perfect progressive
• has been summonsing
  perfect progressive

Past

• summonsed
  simple
• had summonsed
  perfect
• was summonsing
  progressive
• were summonsing
  progressive
• had been summonsing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will summons
  simple
• will have summonsed
  perfect
• will be summonsing
  progressive
• will have been summonsing
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of summons

1250–1300; Middle English somons < Anglo-French; Old French somonse < Vulgar Latin *summonsa, for Latin summonita, feminine past participle of summonēre; see summon

Explanation

A summons is a request or order for someone to show up, especially for legal matters. You could get a summons to testify at a trial, for example. When you summon someone, you're requesting the person to join you, essentially saying, "Come here!" Similarly, a summons asks for someone to appear. This could be a friendly request or invitation, like a summons to join some friends for a road trip, but the most common type of summons is official and legally binding. If you receive a summons to appear in court, you have to show up. Ignoring that kind of summons is a crime.

Example Sentences

"You're not a eukaryote if you don't have sterols or comparable membrane lipids," Summons says.

From Science Daily • Feb. 27, 2026

A spokesperson for the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service confirmed that a Personal Injuries Summons had been received and registered by the Court of Session.

From BBC • Nov. 3, 2024

Attorneys for Combs alleged in the 83-page motion, obtained by The Times, that the Bad Boy Records founder “was not served with the Summons and Complaint,” which Cardello-Smith had filed in June.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 13, 2024

When reading "Bird Summons," I kept imagining a piece of paper with lines of string tied to each corner.

From Salon • Feb. 4, 2020

Sayer, Grand Master, commanded the Masters and Wardens of Lodges to meet the Grand Officers every Quarter in Communication, at the Place that he should appoint in the Summons sent by the Tyler.

From The Builders A Story and Study of Masonry by Newton, Joseph Fort

Related Words

• indictment
• subpoena
• warrant
• writ