1. (law) a writ issued by authority of law; usually compels the defendant's attendance in a civil suit; failure to appear results in a default judgment against the defendant
   "He was served with a summons to appear in court";
   - process
    
2. An order to appear in person at a given place and time
   "He received a summons to appear in court next week"
    
3. A request to be present
   "they came at his summons";
   - bidding

1. Call in an official matter, such as to attend court
   "He was summonsed to appear before the judge";
   - summon, cite

1. Ask to come
   "summon a lawyer"
    
2. Gather or bring together
   "Summon all your courage";
   - muster, rally, come up, muster up
    
3. Cause to become available for use, either literally or figuratively
   "running into an old friend summoned up memories of her childhood";
   - call up
    
4. Make ready for action or use
   "summon resources";
   - mobilize, mobilise [Brit], marshal

Derived forms: summonsed, summonses, summonsing

Type of: call, collect, create, garner, gather, invitation, judicial writ, make, order, pull together, send for, writ

Encyclopedia: Summons, Arthur