Summon

/ˈsʌmən/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to call upon to appear, often in a formal or official capacity.

The manager decided to summon the team for an urgent meeting.

to bring forth or to call into action.

She could not summon the courage to speak in front of the crowd.

to request the presence of someone formally.

The court summoned the defendant to appear for the hearing.

to invoke or bring about, typically through one's will or power.

The magician attempted to summon a spirit from the other world.

Middle English, from Latin 'summonere', meaning ‘to call up, call forth’.

summon the courage

To find the resolve to do something difficult.

summon up

To bring forth a feeling or skill.

summon to appear

A legal requirement to appear in court.

summons

A document that orders someone to appear in court.

summoning

The act of calling someone or something to appear.

To call someone over casually.

Hey, can you summon your friend to join us?

To bring up a topic or memory in conversation.

She summoned the past as we talked about our high school days.