wake-up

adjective

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\ ˈwāk-ˌəp

Definition of wake-up

(Entry 1 of 2)

: serving to wake up a wake-up alarm

wake up

verb

woke up also waked up; woken up also waked up; waking up; wakes up

Definition of wake up (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive + intransitive

: awake entry 1, wake entry 1: such as

a : to cease sleeping : to become awake I woke up late this morning. When I woke up on Monday the sky was the color of mercury, and the air was heavy with moisture.— Ann M. Martin

b : to rouse (a person or animal) from or as if from sleep The sound of a door slamming woke him up.

c : to become aware or to make (someone) aware of something (such as an existing problem or danger) They finally woke up and realized what was happening. —usually used with to a study that woke people up to the importance of regular exerciseIn 1997, … Jacob Nielsen predicted that if newspapers didn't wake up to the threat of online classified advertising and dominate the field by 1998, many of them would die within a decade.— Emily Benedek

d : to make (something) active : arouse, stir "And what joy and cheerfulness it wakes up within us, to see all nature beaming in brightness and sunshine …" added Alice …— Charles Dickens