Summons

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle)
• HYPHEN: sum=mons

CIDE DICTIONARY

Summons, n. [OE. somouns, OF. sumunse, semonse, semonce, F. semonce, semondre to summon, OF. p. p. semons. See Summon, v.].

•  The act of summoning; a call by authority, or by the command of a superior, to appear at a place named, or to attend to some duty.  [1913 Webster]

  "Special summonses by the king."  [1913 Webster]

  "This summons . . . unfit either to dispute or disobey."  [1913 Webster]

  "He sent to summon the seditious, and to offer pardon; but neither summons nor pardon was regarded."  [1913 Webster]
•  A warning or citation to appear in court; a written notification signed by the proper officer, to be served on a person, warning him to appear in court at a day specified, to answer to the plaintiff, testify as a witness, or the like.  [1913 Webster]
•  A demand to surrender.  [1913 Webster]

Summons, v. t. 

 To summon.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Summons, n. & v.
--n. (pl. summonses)
1 an authoritative or urgent call to attend on some occasion or do something.
2 a a call to appear before a judge or magistrate. b the writ containing such a summons.
--v.tr. esp. Law serve with a summons.

Etymology

ME f. OF somonce, sumunse f. L summonita fem. past part. of summonere: see SUMMON

THESAURUS

Summons

Angelus, Angelus bell, alarm, alarum, battle cry, beck, beck and call, bid, bid come, biddance, bidding, birdcall, bugle call, call, call away, call back, call for, call forth, call in, call out, call together, call up, call-up, calling, calling forth, certiorari, citation, cite, compulsory military service, conjure, conjure up, conscription, convene, convocation, convoke, demand, draft, draft call, drafting, engraved invitation, enlistment, enrollment, evocation, evoke, garnishment, habeas corpus, impressment, indent, induction, invitation, invite, invocation, invoke, last post, levy, mobilization, monition, moose call, muster, muster up, nod, order up, page, preconization, preconize, press, rallying cry, rebel yell, recall, recruiting, recruitment, requisition, reveille, selective service, send after, send for, serve, subpoena, summon, summon forth, summon up, taps, trumpet call, venire, venire de novo, venire facias, war cry, warrant, whistle, writ, writ of summons

ROGET THESAURUS

Summons

Command

N command, order, ordinance, act, fiat, hukm, bidding, dictum, hest, behest, call, beck, nod, despatch, dispatch, message, direction, injunction, charge, instructions, appointment, fixture, demand, exaction, imposition, requisition, claim, reclamation, revendication, ultimatum, request, requirement, dictation, dictate, mandate, caveat, decree, senatus consultum, precept, prescript, rescript, writ, ordination, bull, ex cathedra pronouncement, edict, decretal, dispensation, prescription, brevet, placit, ukase, ukaz, firman, hatti- sherif, warrant, passport, mittimus, mandamus, summons, subpoena, nisi prius, interpellation, citation, word, word of command, mot d'ordre, bugle call, trumpet call, beat of drum, tattoo, order of the day, enactment, plebiscite, commanding, authoritative, decretory, decretive, decretal, callable, jussive, in a commanding tone, by a stroke of the pen, by a dash of the pen, by order, at beat of drum, on the first summons, the decree is gone forth, sic volo sic jubeo, le Roi le veut, boutez en avant.

Lawsuit

N lawsuit, suit, action, cause, litigation, suit in law, dispute, citation, arraignment, prosecution, impeachment, accusation, presentment, true bill, indictment, apprehension, arrest, committal, imprisonment, writ, summons, subpoena, latitat, nisi prius, venire, venire facias pleadings, declaration, bill, claim, proces verbal, bill of right, information, corpus delicti, affidavit, state of facts, answer, reply, replication, plea, demurrer, rebutter, rejoinder, surrebutter, surrejoinder, suitor, party to a suit, plaintiff, defendant, litigant, hearing, trial, verdict, appeal, appeal motion, writ of error, certiorari, case, decision, precedent, decided case, reports (legal reference works, see reference books), litigious, qui tam, coram judice, sub judice, pendente lite, adhuc sub judice lis est, accedas ad curiam, transeat in exemplum.

VB go to law, appeal to the law, bring to justice, bring to trial, bring to the bar, put on trial, pull up, accuse, prefer a claim, file a claim, take the law of, inform against, serve with a writ, cite, apprehend, arraign, sue, prosecute, bring an action against, indict, impeach, attach, distrain, commit, arrest, summon, summons, give in charge, empanel a jury, implead, join issue, close the pleadings, set down for hearing, try, hear a cause, sit in judgment, adjudicate.