Webster's English Dictionary

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summons

1. sum.mons \'s*m-*nz\ n or sum.mon.ses [ME somouns, fr. OF somonse, fr. 
   pp. of somondre] pl  1: the act of summoning; esp : a call by authority to 
   appear at a p lace named or to attend to some duty 2: a warning or citation 
   to appear in court : as  2a: a written notification to be served on a 
   person warning him to appear i n court at a day specified to answer to the 
   plaintiff 2b: a subpoena to appear as a witness  3: a call, signal, or 
   knock that summons 
2. summons vt : SUMMON