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 by up ):

   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)

Derived Forms

• ˈsummonable, adjective

Other Words From

• sum·mon·a·ble adjective
• sum·mon·er noun
• re·sum·mon verb (used with object)
• un·sum·mon·a·ble 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

The idea of being able to summon a custom ride anytime, anywhere using a powerful but tiny handheld computer was nothing short of inconceivable back then.

From Singularity Hub 

They could summon other locusts to morph into a gregarious swarm.

From Science News For Students

In Chu Renhu’s 17th-century Historical Romance of the Sui and Tang Dynasties, Mulan must choose between loyalty to the emperor and her commitment to chastity after the emperor summons her to be his consort.

From Vox

For example, people would be able to instantly play their favorite song by thinking about it or summon a self-driving car.

From Fortune

Determined to summon a resiliency I wasn’t feeling, I gamely joined Zoom reunions and went to Zoom cocktail parties.

From MIT Technology Review

Johnson could not summon a single word when he saw that Wilson had drawn his gun.

From The Daily Beast

If boards thought for even a second about the long-term interests of their companies, they would summon their lawyers and sign.

From The Daily Beast

Ullom had failed to summon help and had instead sought to remedy the situation by injecting her twice with cocaine.

From The Daily Beast

Now you can summon them instantly on your screen, and track their new life post-you… Is he looking older, more haggard?

From The Daily Beast

For the unitiated, Uber is a hugely popular app that allows people to summon a private car with a few taps of their fingers.

From The Daily Beast

Thinking to escape and summon assistance from the cantonment, Douglas mounted the wall and leaped into the moat.

From Project Gutenberg

But in August, 1805, the approaching war with Austria caused the Emperor to summon his most brilliant cavalry leader to his side.

From Project Gutenberg

Out sprang Rabecque, to be immediately sent by his master to summon mademoiselle.

From Project Gutenberg

You baito where you are,” he commanded, bidding a comrade summon an officer, “or somebody who can talk the lingo.

From Project Gutenberg

With a half-smile he rose, and going to the door he bade his page who was idling in the anteroom go summon the captain.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

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