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Summon

 - 4 dictionary results

sum⋅mon

  [suhm-uhn]
Use Summon in a Sentence
–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, 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.
Origin:
1175–1225; < ML summonēre to summon, L: to remind unofficially, suggest, equiv. to sum- sum- + monēre to remind, warn; r. ME somonen < OF semondre, somondre < VL *summonere, L summonēre, as above

Related forms:
sum⋅mon⋅a⋅ble, adjective
sum⋅mon⋅er, noun

Synonyms:
1-3. See call.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To Summon
sum·mon   (sŭm'ən)   
tr.v.   sum·moned, sum·mon·ing, sum·mons

  1. To call together; convene.

  2. To request to appear; send for. See Synonyms at call.

  3. Law To order to appear in court by the issuance of a summons.

  4. To order to take a specified action; bid: summon the captain to surrender.

  5. To call forth; evoke: "He summoned up a smile, though it seemed to take all his strength" (Colin Turnbull).


[Middle English somonen, from Old French somondre, from Vulgar Latin *summonere, from Latin summonēre, to remind privately, hint to : sub-, secretly; see sub- + monēre, to warn; see men-1 in Indo-European roots.]
sum'mon·er n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

summon 
c.1205, from Anglo-Fr., O.Fr. sumundre "summon," from V.L. *summundre "to call, cite," from L. summonere "hint to," from sub "under" + monere "warn, advise" (see monitor). Summons "authoritative call to be at a certain place for a certain purpose" is c.1280, from O.Fr. sumunse, noun use of fem. pp. of somondre. Summoner "petty officer who cites persons to appear in court" is from c.1325; contracted form sumner is from 1362.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Legal Dictionary

Main Entry: sum·mon
Function: transitive verb
: to command by service of a summons to appear in court
Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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