summon
officially order someone to come
To tell someone in an official way that they must come to a place, often for a meeting or a court case.
to summon [someone] to [a place/event]
- The company summoned all department heads to an urgent meeting.
- He was summoned to court to give evidence about the accident.
- The prime minister summoned the ambassador to explain the incident.
- The teacher summoned her parents to discuss his behavior.
- Jurors were summoned to appear on Monday morning.
- She was summoned to the office by her boss.
- All workers were summoned to a safety meeting.
- He was summoned to court after the car crash.
- The manager summoned the team to discuss the problem.
- The king summoned his advisers to the palace.
call someone to come when needed
To call someone to come to you because you need their help or service, often quickly.
to summon [someone] / to summon [help]
- When he collapsed, they immediately summoned an ambulance.
- She summoned a doctor as soon as the child’s fever spiked.
- The customer angrily summoned the manager to complain.
- Security was summoned after the fight broke out.
- If the pain gets worse, summon medical help right away.
- We must summon help quickly.
- They summoned a doctor for the old man.
- She summoned the waiter to pay the bill.
- He summoned the police after the break-in.
- If you feel very sick, summon an ambulance.
gather inner strength or courage
To try hard to find and use a feeling or strength inside yourself, like courage or energy.
to summon [the courage/strength/energy] (to [do something])
- I finally summoned the courage to ask for a raise.
- She summoned all her strength and pushed the car to the side of the road.
- He summoned a weak smile, despite the bad news.
- They summoned the energy to keep working late into the night.
- She summoned the willpower to quit smoking after many failed attempts.
- He cannot summon the courage to speak.
- She summoned the strength to stand up again.
- I must summon the energy to finish this work.
- She summoned a smile, but she was very sad.
- They summoned the courage to tell the truth.
call up a spirit or creature
To use magic or special power to make a spirit, demon, or other unreal thing come to you.
to summon [a spirit/creature]
- The wizard raised his staff to summon a powerful storm.
- According to the legend, the ritual can summon ancient spirits.
- Players can summon a dragon to fight for them in the game.
- She tried to summon the dead king’s ghost for advice.
- The spell accidentally summoned a demon from the underworld.
- In the story, the witch can summon spirits.
- The game lets you summon a dragon to help you.
- The priest tried to summon an angel.
- The book says the spell can summon a ghost.
- They used magic to summon a dark power.
bring a memory or image to mind
To make someone remember something or see an image in their mind.
to summon [memories/images/visions] of [something]
- The music summoned memories of his childhood summers by the sea.
- Her writing vividly summons images of city life in the 1920s.
- The smell of rain on hot pavement can summon powerful emotions.
- The painting summons visions of a world long forgotten.
- That old photograph instantly summoned the faces of friends he had lost.
- This song summons memories of my school days.
- The film summons images of war and pain.
- The smell of bread can summon feelings of home.
- The story summons pictures of life many years ago.
- The photo summons many happy memories.
- Base: summon
- 3rd Person Singular: summons
- Present Participle: summoning
- Past: summoned
be summoned to appear
1be officially ordered to be present
To receive an official order that you must be present at a court, meeting, or with an authority.
- Several witnesses were summoned to appear before the committee.
- He was summoned to appear at the hearing next month.
summon a doctor
1urgently call for a doctor
To quickly call a doctor to come and help someone who is sick or hurt.
- They summoned a doctor when the baby’s breathing became shallow.
- The hotel staff immediately summoned a doctor for the guest.
summon a meeting
1officially call a meeting
To officially tell people to come together for a meeting, usually for a serious or important reason.
- The board summoned a meeting to discuss the crisis.
- An emergency meeting was summoned after the data breach.
summon a spirit
1call a spirit with magic
To use magic or a special ritual to make a spirit come, usually in stories or films.
- In the film, the characters try to summon a spirit from the other side.
- The ritual is said to summon a spirit who answers questions about the future.
summon help
1call for help to come
To quickly call someone to come and help you, especially in an emergency.
- If the fire spreads, summon help immediately.
- She managed to crawl to the phone and summon help.
summon someone to court
1officially order to appear in court
To officially tell someone that they must come to a court of law.
- The company was summoned to court over health and safety violations.
- He was summoned to court to answer the charges against him.
summon up
1gather needed inner strength
To try hard to find and use a feeling or strength inside yourself, like courage, energy, or interest.
- She finally summoned up the courage to speak in front of the class.
- I couldn’t summon up enough energy to go out after work.
- He summoned up a smile, even though he was exhausted.
summon up the courage
1find courage to do something hard
To make yourself feel brave enough to do something that is difficult or scary.
- He couldn’t summon up the courage to tell her the truth.
- I’m trying to summon up the courage to quit my job and move abroad.
summon up the courage
2deliberately call on your courage
To make a strong effort to feel brave enough to do something hard or frightening.
- She summoned up the courage to speak to her manager.
- He finally summoned up the courage to visit the dentist after years of avoiding it.
- I’m trying to summon up the courage to move to another country.