I. ˈsəmənz noun
( plural summonses also summons )
Etymology: Middle English somouns, from Old French somonse, semonse, from feminine of somons, semons, past participle of somondre, semondre to summon
1. : the act of summoning ; especially : a call by authority or by the command of a superior to appear at a place named or to attend to some duty
2. : a warning or citation to appear in court : a notice of the beginning of a particular proceeding in court and of the action to be taken therein: as
a. : the original writ by which an action was begun in old common-law practice
b. : 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 upon pain of judgment against the defendant for default in so doing
c. : a subpoena to appear as a witness
d. : an order to appear to answer a criminal charge usually for a minor offense where arrest of the defendant is not regarded as appropriate or necessary
e. Scots law : a writ in the king's name to cite a defendant to appear and answer
3. : an imperative call or a calling (as to arms or to death) : something (as a signal or knock) that summons
were interrupted at that point by a summons for tea — Maurice Cranston
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-es )
: summon ; especially : to take out a summons against