What does "summons" mean?
A call to do something, especially to come.
Summons
/ˈsʌ.mənz/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A call to do something, especially to come.
- Grammar: summons is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: citation, subpoena, alarm, alarum.
- Useful contrasts: dampen, dismiss, dismissal.
- Usage evidence: The smell of cut grass summons up images of hot summer afternoons.
How to use "summons"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "summons" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "summons" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "summons" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "summons" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "summons" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "citation" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "summons", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A call to do something, especially to come.
"He sent to summon the seditious, and to offer pardon[…]; but neither summons nor pardon was any thing regarded."
- 2 plural of summon form-of, plural
- 3 a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant wordnet
- 4 A notice summoning someone to appear in court, as a defendant, juror or witness.
"Four summonses were brought recently on behalf of St. Pancras Borough Council against the British Transport Commission in respect of the emission of smoke by locomotives standing at Camden Motive Power Depot. (The summonses were dismissed)"
- 5 an order to appear in person at a given place and time wordnet
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A demand for surrender.
- 7 a request to be present wordnet
Verb
- 1 To serve someone with a summons. transitive
"It proposes that those held in the prototype Selfridges cells be kept for a maximum of four hours to have their identity confirmed and be charged, summonsed or given a fine."
- 2 third-person singular simple present indicative of summon form-of, indicative, present, singular, third-person
- 3 call in an official matter, such as to attend court wordnet
Example
"The smell of cut grass summons up images of hot summer afternoons."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "summons"?
Common synonyms include: citation, subpoena, alarm, alarum, angelus, angelus bell.
How do you use "summons" in a sentence?
The smell of cut grass summons up images of hot summer afternoons.
How do you pronounce "summons"?
Pronounced /ˈsʌ.mənz/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Middle English somouns (“order or command to do something”), borrowed from Old French sumunce (modern French semonce), from Vulgar Latin *summonsa, a noun use of the feminine past participle of summoneō, summonēre (“to summon”).
Etymology 2
See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.