summons

/sˈʌmənz/ · 2 syllables

Meaning

noun

1. a request to be present
   “they came at his bidding”
2. an order to appear in person at a given place and time
3. 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

verb

1. call in an official matter, such as to attend court

Synonyms for summons

• bidding
• process
• summon
• cite