Summons

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈsÊŒmÉ™nz/

From Old French sumunce (modern French semonce), from popular Latin *summonsa, a noun use of the feminine past participle of summoneō, summonēre ("to summon").

Full definition of summons

Noun

1. A call to do something, especially to come.
• Hallamspecial summonses by the king
• Bishop Fellthis summons ... unfit either to dispute or disobey
• Sir J. HaywardHe sent to summon the seditious, and to offer pardon; but neither summons nor pardon was regarded.
2. (legal) A notice summoning someone to appear in court, as a defendant, juror or witness.
3. (military) A demand for surrender.

Verb

1. (transitive) To serve someone with a summons.
• 2007, 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. — The Guardian, 15 Mar 2007, p. 1

Inflected forms.

Verb

1. summons

   (third-person singular of summon)