# summons

/ˈsəmənz/ (US) · /sˈʌmənz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/summons
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. legal order to appear

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

an official paper that tells you that you must go to a court of law.

For teachers: a legal document issued by a court or administrative agency ordering a person to appear at a specific time and place.

- He received a summons in the mail telling him to appear for jury duty next month.
- The defendant was issued a formal summons to answer the allegations of breach of contract in the high court.

Usage: The singular noun ends in 's'; the plural is 'summonses'.

### 2. a formal call or demand

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal · Literary

a serious or official request for you to go somewhere or do a task.

For teachers: an authoritative call or urgent invitation to attend a place or perform a specific duty.

- The king sent a summons to all his lords to meet at the castle.
- She felt a sudden summons to return to her childhood home, though no one had explicitly asked her to visit.

## Examples

- He received a summons to appear in court next Tuesday.
- The defendant ignored the initial summons, leading the judge to issue a warrant for his arrest.
- Legal experts noted that the summons was delivered improperly, potentially invalidating the entire proceedings against the corporation for its environmental violations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.