▪ I. † ˈsummon, n. Obs.
Forms: 4 somun, sumun, sommoun, 4–5 somoun, 5 somoune, -own, summoun(e, 6 somon, 6–7 sommon, 4–8 summon.
[f. summon v.]
= summons.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 23821 Ilk dai we se somun For to graid and mak us bun. c 1320 Sir Tristr. 171 He bad his kniȝtes lele Com to his somoun Wiþ hors and wepenes fele. 13.. E.E. Allit. P. A. 539 To take her hyre he mad sumoun. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 104 Ȝiff thow theis somouns wythsytte, he sendes thie thies wordes. c 1470 Gol. & Gaw. 10 Dukis and digne lordis,..Sembillit to his summovne. 1581 A. Hall Iliad ix. 151 The Heraults they obayed, And when y⊇ kings the sommon heard, from him no whit they stayed. 1596 Bacon Max. & Use Com. Law ii. (1630) 9 The Kings writs of Processe, be they Sommons, Attachments [etc.]. 1599 Thynne Animadv. (1875) 66, I haue not my booke of somons of Barons to parliamente in my handes. 1629 T. Adams Medit. Creed Wks. 1231 Esther durst not come into the Presence, till the Scepter had giuen her admission; a summon of that emboldens her. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones ii. ix, Mr. Allworthy..gave orders that the bell should be rung without the doors... All these summons proving ineffectual [etc.]. 1800 Bloomfield Spring Poems (1845) 12 Heedlessly they graze, Or hear the summon with an idle gaze. |
b. attrib.: summon-master, one who directs the issue of summonses (fig.).
| 1618 R. Brathwait Descr. Death 3 in Good Wife, etc. E 7, Death is..The Summon-maister of mortalitie. |
▪ II. summon, v.
(ˈsʌmən)
Forms: α. 3–4 somoune, 3–5 somony, 3–6 somon(e, 4–5 somoun, sommone, sowmoun, -own, (3 sumune(n, 4 somun(e, -own, summone, 5 sumoun, somowne, 6 sumon, -own, sowmon), 6–7 sommon, 4– summon. See also summond v. β. 3 someni, sumen, 3–4 someny, 3–5 somene, 3–6 somen, 4–5 somyn, somn-; 4–5 sompne, -y. (See somne v.2, sompne.) γ. 3–4 sumni, -y, 4–5 sumne.
[a. AF., OF. sumun-, somun-, somon-, pres. stem of somondre, semondre (see summond v.) = Pr. somon(d)re, semondre:—pop.L. *summonĕre for summonēre, in earlier L., to give a hint, suggest, in med.L., to call, cite, summon, f. sub- (see sub- 25) + monēre to warn (see monition).
The ME. forms with weak vowel in the second syllable (somene, sumene) underwent contraction when inflected for the pa. tense, pples., and vbl. n. (somned, somning, etc.): cf. somner, sumner1.
The earliest examples show assimilation in meaning, and partly in form, to ME. somni, OE. somnian, somne v.1, to assemble.]
1. trans. To call together by authority for action or deliberation. † Occas. with up. (See summons n. 1, 1 b.)
| c 1205 Lay. 424 He heihte his folc sumunen & cumen to him seoluen. Ibid. 1482 Þa ferde wes isumned & heo forð fusden. Ibid. 19183 Ah nu ich wulle fusen & sumnien mine ferde. c 1250 Kent. Serm. in O.E. Misc. 26 Þo dede he somoni alle þo wyse clerekes þet kuþe þe laghe. 1297 R. Glouc. (Rolls) 10379 Þe pope..alle þe bissops of engelond let someni to rome. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 1800 Do sumne þe folk astyte, Þat þey come alle hedyr. c 1330 ― Chron. Wace (Rolls) 3265 Belyn dide somone his Bretons. 1390 Gower Conf. III. 327 He let somoune a parlement, To which the lordes were asent. 1472–3 Rolls of Parlt. VI. 42/1 The Lordes..of this Reame, in this present Parlement somoned and holden at Westm'. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 112 Pope Paule by his legate Vergerius sommoneth the counsell of Mantua. 1605 Shakes. Lear ii. iv. 35 They summon'd vp their meiney, straight tooke Horse. 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. §12 If they had been frequently summoned, and seasonably dissolved. 1677–8 Marvell Corr. Wks. (Grosart) II. 603 The Shrieues haue order to summon up all absent Parliament-men. 1711 in 10th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm. App. v. 137 He might have called to his assistance..15,000 good men..by summoning the voluntiers. 1748 Anson's Voy. iii. vii, Thereupon the Governor had summoned his Council. 1758 J. Dalrymple Ess. Feudal Property (ed. 2) 266 A distinction was made in the form of summoning the greater and the smaller vassals. 1769 Blackstone Comm. iv. xx. 281 Those [contempts] committed by jurymen,..such as making default, when summoned. 1777 Watson Philip II (1839) 357 That he should summon the general assembly of the States to meet at least once a year. 1819 Scott Ivanhoe xxxviii, The Grand Master had summoned a chapter. 1820 Gifford Compl. Engl. Lawyer (ed. 5) 73 A commission from the bishop, directed usually to his chancellor and others of competent learning; who are to summon a jury of six clergymen and six laymen. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xi. III. 29 No royal writ had summoned the Convention which recalled Charles the Second. 1877 Froude Short Stud. (1883) IV. i. iv. 44 The king once more summoned a great Council to meet him at Northampton. |
b. To call (a peer) to parliament by writ of summons; hence, to call to a peerage. (See summons n. 1 b.)
| 1375 Barbour Bruce i. 592 Thiddir somownys he in hy The barownys of his reawte. 1610 Holland Camden's Brit. (1637) 635 William Beauchamp who was summoned afterward to Parliament. 1885 Freeman in Encycl. Brit. XVIII. 462/2 One may certainly doubt whether Edward [I], when he summoned a baron to parliament, meant positively to..summon that baron's heirs for ever and ever. 1888 N. & Q. 7th Ser. V. 391/2 Thomas Fane married Mary, daughter of Henry, Lord Abergavenny, 1574... She was summoned to the barony of Le Despenser,..1604. |
2. To cite by authority to attend at a place named, esp. to appear before a court or judge to answer a charge or to give evidence; to issue a summons against. (See summons n. 2.)
| c 1290 S. Eng. Leg. 74 He liet him somoune al-so To westmunstre, to answerien him of þat he him hadde mis-do. 1303 R. Brunne Handl. Synne 510 Al þe godemen of þe toune, Byfore þe bysshop dyden here somoune. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 146 Þei..somonen men to chapitre & bi fors taken here goodis. c 1380 ― Serm. Sel. Wks. I. 205 Þei ben somynned and reprovyd many weies, and after put in prison. Ibid. III. 320 Þei somenen and aresten men wrongfully to gete þe money out of his purse. c 1430 Lydg. Min. Poems (Percy Soc.) 241 Oon of his bedellys..Cam with his potent instede of a maas, Somowned me. c 1460 Oseney Reg. 80 Sumne hym by a goode sumnyng that he be afore vs. c 1480 Henryson Mor. Fables, Sheep & Dog 18 Schir Corbie Rauin..hes..Summonit the Scheip befoir the Uolf. c 1532 G. Du Wes Introd. Fr. in Palsgr. 938 To somen, adjourner. a 1578 Lindesay (Pitscottie) Chron. Scot. (S.T.S.) I. 100 James Hammelltoun..was sowmond..to wnderly the law. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. iii. xii. §59 It is unfit that Ministers should be summoned, before each proud..under-officer. 1769 Blackstone Comm. iv. xx. 279 The courts of common law..making it necessary to summon the party accused before he is condemned. 1774 Warton Hist. Eng. Poetry I. xvii. 445 To summon uncanonical offenders into the archdeacon's court. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 167 A witness who will not come of himself may be summoned. 1887 Courier 23 June, George Champneys..was summoned for wilfully assaulting Mr. Smeadon. |
| absol. 1615 Chapman Odyss. ii. 11 The Heralds then, he strait charg'd to consort The curld-head Greekes, with lowd calls to a Court. They summon'd; th' other came. |
† b. To call (a plea) into court. Obs.
| c 1460 Oseney Reg. 104 Whereoff ‘assisa of the deth of aunceturs’ whas i-sumned bitwene them In the forsaide Courte. Ibid. 115 Whereof þe plee of ‘conuencion’ whas i-summonyd bitwene them in þe same courte. |
† c. transf. To call to account. Obs. rare.
| 1654–66 Earl of Orrery Parthen. (1676) 610 The two Princes summoned Callimachus of his promise. |
3. gen. To require the presence or attendance of; to bid (a person) to approach by a call, ringing a bell, knocking, or the like; with adv., to call (to a person) to go in a specified direction.
| a 1400 Robt. Cicyle (MS. Harl. 525) in Parker Dom. Archit. (1853) II. 73 [He] somowned him a Barbour before, That as a fole he should be shore. a 1536 Songs, Carols, etc. (E.E.T.S.) 97 Whan deth commyth,..Obey we must, þer ys no remedye; He hath me somond. 1566 Painter Pal. Pleas. I. To Rdr., Their great Graundmother Eue when she was somoned from Paradise ioye. 1592 Soliman & Pers. v. ii. 68 Ere we could summon him a land, His ships were past a kenning from the shoare. 1593 Shakes. 3 Hen. VI, iv. vii. 16 Ile knocke once more, to summon them. 1683 J. Kettlewell Help Worthy Commun. iii. v. 376 We are summon'd in to profess Repentance. a 1700 Evelyn Diary an. 1635, When near her death, she summoned all her children then living. 1797 Mrs. Radcliffe Italian xii, The matin-bell strikes!.. I am summoned. 1832 Brewster Nat. Magic vi. 132 The family was then summoned to the spot, and the phenomena were seen alike by them all. 1885 ‘Mrs. Alexander’ At Bay i, They were soon summoned to table. |
4. fig. with immaterial or inanimate subject: To call, bid come or go. Often with adv.
| 1549 Compl. Scot. Ep. 6, I beand summond be institutione of ane gude zeil. 1592 Kyd Sp. Trag. ii. ii. 46 When Vesper ginnes to rise, That summons home distresfull trauellers. 1592 Arden of Feversham iii. iii. 11 A gentle slumber tooke me, And sommond all my parts to sweete repose. 1608 D. T[uvill] Ess. Pol. & Mor. 38 b, Heerein may their practice serue like a seuerer Censor,..and summoning the blood into our faces, make vs ashamed. 1629 Wadsworth Pilgr. iii. 14 Euery morning the fift houre summons the vp. 1731 Pope Ep. Burlington 142 The Chapel's silver bell you hear, That summons you to all the Pride of Pray'r. 1750 Johnson in Boswell, The business of life summons us away from useless grief. 1816 Scott Old Mort. xxxv, The attention of Morton was summoned to the window by a great noise. 1818 ― Rob Roy i, If my father were suddenly summoned from life. |
| absol. 1604 Shakes. Oth. iv. ii. 169 Hearke how these Instruments summon to supper. 1891 ‘Q.’ (Quiller-Couch) Noughts & Cr., Cott. Troy iv, Its [sc. the sea's] voice in his ears, calling, summoning all the way. |
5. To call upon (a person) to do something.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 462 Ȝif crist haue sumnyd hem for to come not to hym. ? a 1400 Morte Arth. 1212 He somond than the schippemene..To schake furthe with the schyre mene to schifte the gudez. c 1400 Destr. Troy 1702 He somond all þe Cite..To a counsell to come for a cause hegh. c 1450 Merlin 249 This squyer hadde ofte Carados somoned to be a knyght. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 534 Cole-black clouds..Do summon vs to part. 1671 Milton P.R. ii. 143, I summon all..to be in readiness..to assist. 1781 Cowper Expost. 179 That moving signal summoning..Their host to move. 1825 Scott Betrothed ii, He called..on a young..bard,..and summoned him to sing something which might command the applause of his sovereign. 1859 Tennyson Guinevere 566 They summon me their King to lead mine hosts. |
b. To call upon to surrender.
| [1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 73, J the somone as legat..that thou yelde this cyte vnto his fader kyng saturne. a 1548 Hall Chron., Hen. VIII, 36 The kyng..sent an heraulde to somon vs to rendre to hym this cytee. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 252 Donauerde, whiche being sommoned to render, had refused. 1643 Baker Chron. (1653) 248 The Duke of Exeter was sent..to summon the Citizens to surrender the Town. 1842 Borrow Bible in Spain xxxiv, A man advanced and summoned us to surrender.] |
| 1603 [see summoning vbl. n.]. 1607 Shakes. Cor. i. iv. 7 Summon the Towne. 1773 Goldsm. Stoops to Conq. ii. i, He first summoned the garrison. 1810 Wellington in Gurw. Desp. (1838) VI. 120 General Mermet summoned the place on the 12th. 1853 Stocqueler Milit. Encycl. 271/2. |
† 6. To give warning or notice of, proclaim, call.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 205 He cast hym..In a Cite be-syde to somyn a fest. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iii. iii. 35 Summon a Parley, we will talke with him. 1611 ― Wint. T. ii. iii. 202 Prepare you Lords, Summon a Session. |
7. Often with up: To ‘call’ (a faculty, etc.) to one's aid; to bring (one's courage, energy) into action; to call up.
| 1582 Stanyhurst æneis i. (Arb.) 24 With food they summond theyre force [L. victu revocant viris]. 1588 Shakes. L.L.L. ii. i. 1 Now Madam summon vp your dearest spirits. 1667 Milton P.L. ix. 374 Relie On what thou hast of vertue, summon all. 1751 Johnson Rambler No. 87 ¶8 We..summon our powers to oppose it. 1780 Mirror No. 87 ¶7 Being obliged to summon up his resolution. 1802 M. Edgeworth Moral T. (1816) I. xviii. 149 He summoned all his fortitude. 1865 Trollope Belton Est. xxvi. 317 She had been driven to summon up all her courage to enable her to do so. 1886 Ruskin Præterita II. 157 You paused to summon courage to enter. |
b. refl. To ‘pull oneself together’. rare.
| 1821 Scott Kenilw. xvi, He summoned himself hastily. |
8. To call into existence; to call forth.
| 1742 Young Nt. Th. ix. 1558 He summons into being, with like ease, A whole creation, and a single grain. 1837 Carlyle Fr. Rev. i. iii. iii, M. de Calonne has stretched out an Aaron's Rod over France..and is summoning..unexpected things. 1841 Whittier Lucy Hooper 28 Pain and weariness, which here Summoned the sigh or wrung the tear. |