summons

1 of 2

noun

sum·​mons ˈsə-mənz 

plural summonses

1

: the act of summoning

especially : a call by authority to appear at a place named or to attend to a duty

2

: a warning or citation to appear in court: such as

a

: a written notification to be served on a person as a warning to appear in court at a day specified to answer to the plaintiff

b

: a subpoena to appear as a witness

3

: something (such as a call) that summons

summons

2 of 2

verb

summonsed; summonsing; summonses

transitive verb

: summon sense 2

Synonyms

Noun

• process
• subpoena

Examples of summons in a Sentence

Noun

The judge issued a summons.

He received a royal summons.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

More than 108 were arrested and given summonses for trespass, including Hirsi, police said. —Melissa Chan, NBC News, 18 Apr. 2024

The first attempt at systematic enforcement was a five-month period in 1973, when, The New York Times reported, 25 inspectors were required to devote a week every month to doling out summonses at busy intersections. —Erin Nolan, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English somouns, from Anglo-French somonse, from past participle of somondre

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1659, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing summons

• writ of summons

Kids Definition

summons

1 of 2 noun

sum·​mons ˈsəm-ənz 

plural summonses

1

: the act of summoning

especially : a call by authority to appear at a place named or to attend to some duty

2

: a warning or notice to appear in court

3

: a call, signal, or knock that summons

summons

2 of 2 verb

: summon sense 2

Legal Definition

summons

1 of 2 noun

sum·​mons ˈsə-mənz 

plural summonses

-mən-zəz

: a written notification that one is required to appear in court: as

a

: a document in a civil suit that is issued by an authorized judicial officer (as a clerk of court) and delivered to a plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney for service on the defendant and that notifies the defendant that he or she must appear and defend (as by filing an answer) within a specified time or a default judgment will be rendered for the plaintiff

b

: a document that summons a defendant to appear before a court to answer a minor criminal charge and that is issued in lieu of a warrant for arrest by an authorized judicial officer (as a magistrate) upon request of a prosecuting attorney

c

: a notification to appear for jury service

d

: a notification to appear as a witness see also john doe summons, service compare subpoena

summons

2 of 2 transitive verb

summonsed

-mənzd

; summonsing

-mən-ziŋ

: summon

especially : to bring into court by a summons

hereby summonsed to serve as a trial juror