The Complete Vocabulary Builder Workbook by BETTER WORDS R. B. Skinner

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summon

verb

/ˈsʌm ən/

IPA:

Dictionary definition of summon

To officially call or request someone to appear or attend a particular place, event, or situation.
"The judge decided to summon the witness to testify in court."

Detailed meaning of summon

It typically involves issuing an authoritative request or command for someone's presence or participation. When you summon someone, you are invoking their presence, often with a sense of urgency or importance. Summoning can be done through various means, such as verbal communication, written notices, or electronic messages. It is commonly used in legal contexts, where individuals are summoned to court or summoned as witnesses. Additionally, summoning can occur in other scenarios, such as summoning employees to a meeting, summoning a group of people for a specific purpose, or summoning supernatural entities in mythological or fictional contexts. The act of summoning carries a sense of calling upon someone to be present and ready to fulfill a particular role or obligation.

Example sentences containing summon

1. The novice wizard hesitated before he decided to summon the fire spirit.
2. My boss will summon me into his office after this meeting.
3. With a flick of her wrist, the sorceress plans to summon a protective barrier.
4. The committee will summon the CEO to discuss the company's financial situation.
5. I wish I could summon the courage to face my fears.
6. If you chant this ancient verse, it can summon good luck.

History and etymology of summon

The verb 'summon' has its roots in Middle English and Old French, ultimately tracing back to the Latin word 'summonere.' This Latin term is a combination of 'sub,' meaning 'under,' and 'monere,' meaning 'to warn' or 'to advise.' The etymology of 'summon' subtly reflects the notion of calling someone to appear or attend a particular place, event, or situation, as if issuing a warning or directive from a position of authority. It suggests the act of officially requesting someone's presence without explicitly delving into its specific meaning, aligning with its modern-day usage related to calling or requesting attendance in a formal or authoritative manner.

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Further usage examples of summon

1. The queen will summon her councilors at sunset for an emergency meeting.
2. To summon assistance in this wilderness, you will have to use the emergency radio.
3. The ritual requires that we summon the ancestral spirits for guidance.
4. If you find the magical lamp, you can summon a wish-granting genie.
5. Should we summon the police to report the incident?
6. Using the ancient horn, the chieftain would summon his warriors.
7. The tribe believes that dancing around the fire can summon rain.
8. With an amulet in her hand, she intended to summon a guardian angel.
9. The judge may summon you for jury duty next month.
10. In this video game, you can summon mythical beasts to aid you in battles.
11. We should summon a cab if we want to reach on time.
12. The shaman taught me how to summon the healing energy from the earth.
13. Can you summon your brother for dinner?
14. In the mountains, the hermit uses a bell to summon the wild deer.