English Reference
verb · noun

wake

v. · n.
US /ˈweɪk/ UK /wˈeɪk/ wake UK spelling waked, wakes

infinitive wake past woke past participle woken

  1. 01 A1 Beginner

    v.to stop sleeping and become active, or to make someone else stop sleeping.

    v.to emerge from a state of sleep or to rouse another person from sleep; frequently functions as a phrasal verb with 'up'.

    Simple

    I usually wake up at six, but today I slept until eight.

    In context

    She had to wake the children early to ensure they reached the station before the first train departed.

    Pitfall
    I waked up at seven this morning. I woke up at seven this morning.

    The past tense of 'wake' is 'woke', not 'waked'.

    sleepdoze
  2. 02 B2 Upper Intermediate Literary

    v.to start a feeling or an activity that was quiet before.

    v.to arouse or excite a feeling, memory, or state of activity from a dormant condition.

    Simple

    The old song started to wake memories of his childhood home.

    In context

    The sudden political crisis served to wake the dormant passions of the electorate, leading to unprecedented turnout at the polls.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate Technical Science

    n.the track of waves or bubbles left behind a boat or object moving through water.

    n.the track of disturbed water or air left behind a moving ship, aircraft, or other body.

    Simple

    The small boat rocked in the wake of the giant cruise ship.

    In context

    Pilots must maintain a safe distance to avoid the dangerous wake turbulence generated by heavy aircraft during takeoff.

    trailtrackbackwash
  4. 04 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.a gathering of family and friends to remember a person who has died.

    n.a watch or social gathering held in connection with a funeral, traditionally occurring before the burial.

    Simple

    Friends gathered at the family home for the wake to share stories of his life.

    In context

    The traditional wake lasted through the night, providing a space for the community to offer their final respects before the morning service.

  5. 05 B2 Upper Intermediate

    n.used in the phrase 'in the wake of' to mean something that happens after an event.

    n.the aftermath or consequence of an event; almost exclusively used in the prepositional phrase 'in the wake of'.

    Simple

    In the wake of the storm, many houses were left without power.

    In context

    The government implemented strict new regulations in the wake of the financial scandal to prevent future market manipulation.

    Usage

    Always used with the preposition 'of' to indicate a following result.

Usage wake up call

This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Frequency Common
Updated