summon

[ˈsʌmən]

summon Definition

  • 1to officially order someone to come to a place
  • 2to call forth or bring about
  • 3to request someone to appear in court

Using summon: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "summon" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The boss summoned me to his office.

  • Example

    The magician summoned a rabbit out of the hat.

  • Example

    The court has summoned the witness to testify.

  • Example

    The president summoned a meeting of the cabinet.

summon Synonyms and Antonyms

Antonyms for summon

Idioms Using summon

  • to invite trouble or danger

    Example

    If you don't study for your exams, you're summoning the devil.

  • to create or produce something from nothing

    Example

    The artist summoned a masterpiece out of thin air.

  • to demand an explanation or justification from someone

    Example

    The shareholders summoned the CEO to account for the company's poor performance.

Phrases with summon

  • summon up

    to bring to mind or recall

    Example

    I can't summon up the courage to tell her how I feel.

  • summon the strength/courage/will

    to gather or muster the necessary strength, courage, or willpower to do something

    Example

    She summoned the strength to climb the mountain despite her exhaustion.

  • to remember or recall something

    Example

    The smell of fresh bread always summons my grandmother's kitchen to mind.

Origins of summon

from Old English 'summonian', meaning 'to remind secretly'

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Summary: summon in Brief

The verb 'summon' [ˈsʌmən] means to officially order someone to come to a place, to call forth or bring about, or to request someone to appear in court. It can be used in phrases like 'summon up,' meaning to bring to mind, and idioms like 'summon the devil,' meaning to invite trouble. 'Summon' is often used formally, as in 'The court has summoned the witness to testify.'

How do native speakers use this expression?