summon

/ˈsʌmən/
verbIntermediate
formal

to call someone formally or officially to appear or come

The police summoned the suspect for questioning.

The police formally called the suspect to come in for questioning.

💡

Often used in legal or official contexts.

literary

to call forth or evoke something, often abstract

The speech summoned feelings of patriotism.

The speech evoked or called forth feelings of patriotism.

💡

Used metaphorically to describe evoking emotions or ideas.

Collocations

summon someoneto formally call someonesummon courageto gather or evoke courage

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Phrases

summon upphrasal verb
to gather or evoke something, often with effort

💡Pro Tip

Formal vs. Informal Use

'Summon' is more formal than 'call.' Use it in legal, official, or literary contexts.

Gold Rule

Authority Implication

'Summon' implies that the caller has authority over the person being summoned.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'sumonen,' from Old French 'somoner,' from Latin 'summonere' (to call together), from 'sub-' (under) + 'monere' (to warn).

📝Usage Notes

In formal contexts, 'summon' implies authority or officiality. In literary contexts, it can be used metaphorically to describe evoking emotions or ideas.

Word Breakdown

sum-
under
prefix
+
-mon-
warn
root
+
-ere
to make or do
suffix
English Dictionary