to order to come; send for, esp to attend court, by issuing a summons to order or instruct (to do something) or call (to something): the bell summoned them to their work to call upon to meet or convene - (often followed by up)
to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
sum•mon /ˈsʌmən/USA pronunciation
v.,
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- to call for the presence of, as by command:[~ + object]The king summoned a servant.
- to call upon (someone) to do something specified:[~ + object + to + verb]She summoned him to take a message.
- to call or notify (someone) to appear at a specified place, esp. before a court:[~ + object]to summon a witness.
- to call together by authority, as for deliberation or action:[~ + object]to summon parliament.
- to call into action;
rouse;
call forth (from oneself): [~ + object (+ up)]He summoned all his courage (up).[~ (+ up) + object]Suffering from the flu, I could hardly summon (up) the strength to whisper.
sum•mon
(sum′ən),USA pronunciation v.t.
sum′mon•a•ble, adj.
sum′mon•er, n.
- to call upon to do something specified.
- to call for the presence of, as by command, message, or signal;
call. - to call or notify to appear at a specified place, esp. before a court:to summon a defendant.
- to authorize or order a gathering of;
call together by authority, as for deliberation or action:to summon parliament. - to call into action;
rouse;
call forth (often. fol. by up):to summon all one's courage.
- Vulgar Latin *summonere, Latin summonēre, as above
- Old French semondre, somondre
- Medieval Latin summonēre to summon, Latin: to remind unofficially, suggest, equivalent. to sum- sum- + monēre to remind, warn; replacing Middle English somonen
- 1175–1225
sum′mon•er, n.
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged -3. See call.
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