sum ‧ mon /ˈsʌmən/ BrE AmE verb [transitive] formal
[ Date: 1200-1300 ; Language: Old French ; Origin: somondre , from Latin summonere 'to remind secretly' , from sub- 'secretly' + monere 'to warn' ]
1 . to order someone to come to a place:
Robert summoned the waiter for the bill.
summon somebody to something
The president summoned Taylor to Washington.
summon somebody to do something
He was summoned to attend an emergency meeting.
2 . to officially order someone to come to a court of law:
Hugh was summoned to appear before the magistrate.
3 . ( also summon something up ) to try very hard to have enough of something such as courage, energy, or strength, because you need it:
He had to summon the energy to finish the race.
4 . summon a meeting/conference etc to arrange for a meeting to take place and order people to come to it SYN convene :
He summoned a meeting of business leaders.
summon up ↔ something phrasal verb
1 . if something summons up a memory, thought, or image, it makes you remember it or think of it SYN conjure up :
The smell summoned up memories of family holidays by the sea.
2 . to try very hard to have enough courage, energy, or strength, because you need it:
Ruth took a deep breath, summoned up her courage, and told him the truth.