SUMMONS

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does summons mean? 

• SUMMONS (noun)
  The noun SUMMONS has 3 senses:

1. a request to be present

2. an order to appear in person at a given place and time

3. a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant

  Familiarity information: SUMMONS used as a noun is uncommon.

• SUMMONS (verb)
  The verb SUMMONS has 1 sense:

1. call in an official matter, such as to attend court

  Familiarity information: SUMMONS used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SUMMONS (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A request to be present

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

bidding; summons

Context example:

they came at his bidding

Hypernyms ("summons" is a kind of...):

invitation (a request (spoken or written) to participate or be present or take part in something)

Sense 2

Meaning:

An order to appear in person at a given place and time

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("summons" is a kind of...):

order ((often plural) a command given by a superior (e.g., a military or law enforcement officer) that must be obeyed)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "summons"):

call up (an order to report for military duty)

Derivation:

summons (call in an official matter, such as to attend court)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

process; summons

Hypernyms ("summons" is a kind of...):

judicial writ; writ ((law) a legal document issued by a court or judicial officer)

Domain category:

jurisprudence; law (the collection of rules imposed by authority)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "summons"):

citation (a summons that commands the appearance of a party at a proceeding)

monition; process of monition (a summons issued after the filing of a libel or claim directing all parties concerned to show cause why the judgment asked for should not be granted)

ticket (a summons issued to an offender (especially to someone who violates a traffic regulation))

Derivation:

summons (call in an official matter, such as to attend court)

• SUMMONS (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Call in an official matter, such as to attend court

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

cite; summon; summons

Hypernyms (to "summons" is one way to...):

call; send for (order, request, or command to come)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "summons"):

vouch (summon (a vouchee) into court to warrant or defend a title)

demand (summon to court)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody
Somebody ----s somebody PP

Derivation:

summons (a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant)

summons (an order to appear in person at a given place and time)

 Context examples 

"Is there a place in this neighbourhood called Thornfield?" I asked of the waiter who answered the summons.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

At present I will not say more; but, perhaps, when we are better acquainted—He was interrupted by a summons to dinner; and the girls smiled on each other.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I had your note about an hour ago, and I have come, though I really do not know why I should obey your summons.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The two Siwashes put crosses opposite their signatures, received a summons to appear on the morrow with all their tribe for a further witnessing of things, and were allowed to go.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

The pleasanter face which had replaced his, on the occasion of my last visit, answered to our summons, and went before us to the drawing-room.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

This looks like one of those unwelcome social summonses which call upon a man either to be bored or to lie.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“Hopkins has called me in seven times, and on each occasion his summons has been entirely justified,” said Holmes.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“He has had the same summons as we, and is bound for the same destination,” said my uncle, glancing over his shoulder at the distant barouche.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

The footman came at the summons, very white and nervous.

(The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde, by Robert Louis Stevenson)

He was at too great a height for that, and having been deaf to a twice-repeated summons, he went without the heavy Sunday dinner with which Mr. Higginbotham invariably graced his table.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)