summon

UK: /ˈsʌmən/ US: /ˈsʌmən/ ,(sum′ən)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sum•mon /ˈsʌmən/   v., 

1. to call for the presence of, as by command:
   [~ + object] The king summoned a servant.
2. to call upon (someone) to do something specified:
   [~ + object + to + verb] She summoned him to take a message.
3. to call or notify (someone) to appear at a specified place, esp. before a court:
   [~ + object] to summon a witness.
4. to call together by authority, as for deliberation or action:
   [~ + object] to summon parliament.
5. 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•er, n. [countable] See -mon-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sum•mon  (sum′ən), v.t. 

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, esp. 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. 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•a•ble, adj. 
sum′mon•er, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. -3. See call. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

summon / ˈsʌmən/ verb (transitive)

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 followed by up) to muster or gather (one's strength, courage, etc)

Etymology: 13th Century: from Latin summonēre to give a discreet reminder, from monēre to advise