/ əˈweɪkən; NAmE / verb ( formal )
1.
[ often passive ] awaken (sb) (from / to sth) to wake up; to make sb wake up :
[ v ]
She awakened to the sound of birds singing.
[ v to inf ]
We awakened to find the others gone.
[ vn ]
He was awakened at dawn by the sound of crying.
➡ note at awake
2.
if an emotion awakens or sth awakens an emotion, you start to feel that emotion :
[ vn ]
The dream awakened terrible memories.
[also v ]
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- awaken (sb) to sth
—compare waken
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English onwæcnan , from on on + waken .