summons

¹sum·mons

noun \ˈsə-mənz\

plural sum·mons·es

Definition of SUMMONS

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: 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 (as a call) that summons

Examples of SUMMONS

1. The judge issued a summons.
2. He received a royal summons.

Origin of SUMMONS

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

First Known Use: 13th century

Related to SUMMONS

Synonyms: process, subpoena

Related Words: capias, warrant, writ; ticket

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Other Legal Terms

actionable, alienable, carceral, chattel, complicity, decedent, larceny, malfeasance, modus operandi