awaken, v.
(əˈweɪk(ə)n)
Forms: 1 awæcn-an, 2–5 awakn-en, 3–5 awaken-e(n, 4– awaken.
[OE. a-wæcn-an, earlier on-wæcn-an, f. a- prefix 2 + wæcnan, to waken. For the form-history, and its complication with that of awake, see the latter. In OE. awæcnan was a str. vb. with pa. tense and pple. awóc, awacen. But sometimes the present stem (being irregular) was mistaken for a weak verb, whence already in 9th c. the pa. awæcnede, mod. awakened, which is now treated as the proper pa. tense, while awoke and its accompanying pa. pple. are referred to the originally weak awake. Like awake, this was also at first strictly intrans.; the transitive use is of comparatively recent appearance, but now (in sense 5) the most frequent.]
(In early use, rarely in the literal sense of awake; commonly transf. or fig. See senses 2, 3, 5. We still prefer awaken to awake in sense 5. See also the derivatives below, in which the transferred sense is the usual one in modern use.)
I. intr.
1. lit. = awake v. 1.
| c 885 K. ælfred Past. 459 Ðæt we onwæcnen of slæpe. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. xix. 478, I awakned þere-with & wrote as me mette. 1653 Nissena 29 He awakened, and found himselfe void of the hopes of asking. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. 267 When the captive awakened, the sun was high in heaven. 1819 R. Chapman Jas. V, 129 When the king awakened he was in a great rage. |
† 2. transf. To arise or spring into existence, originate. (The usual sense in OE.) Obs.
| c 885 K. ælfred Oros. iii. xi. §5 Eall heora ᵹewinn awæcnedon ærest fram Alexandres epistole. a 1000 Crist (Grein) 67 N{uacu} is þæt bearn cumen, awæcned. c 1230 Ancr. R. 422 Of idelnesse awakeneð muchel flesshes fondunge. |
3. transf. and fig. = awake v. 2, 3.
| 1768 Wesley Jrnl. 23 Apr. (1827) III. 308 Just awakening, and darkly feeling after God. 1827 Carlyle Misc. I. 24 The genius of the country has awakened. 1881 Nonconf. 15 Sept. 867/1 A mind that has once awakened to this great and most distressing fact. |
II. transitive.
4. lit. To rouse from sleep.
| 1513 Douglas æneis viii. viii. 7 The blysfull lycht..A⁓walkynnit king Euander. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. v. ii. 42 Hath that awakened you? 1667 Milton P.L. v. 672 Satan..his next subordinate Awak'ning. 1840 Dickens Barn. Rudge xvii, Even this failed to awaken the sleeper. |
5. transf. and fig. To rouse into activity; to stir up, excite; kindle (desire, anxiety, interest, attention, etc.); in Theol. to arouse to a sense of sin.
| 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. iv. ii. 119 Lord Angelo..thinking me remisse..awakens mee. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iv. xlv. 355 To awaken..their Piety and Industry. 1767 Fordyce Serm. Yng. Wom. I. i. 11, I would..awaken your ambition. 1850 M{supc}Cosh Div. Govt. iv. ii. (1874) 499 The cry of distress..awakens compassion. |