summon

To order or ask someone to come to a particular place.

• They summoned a doctor.
• The headteacher summoned both parents to a meeting.
• Why have we been summoned here?

How to use it: summon someone to somewhere (The manager summoned me to her office.); summon someone to do something (The guards were summoned to assist the visitors.)

Similar words: call, send for

Opposites: dismiss

Common phrases: summon someone, summon a doctor, summon someone to something

To officially order someone accused of breaking the law to appear in court.

• Police summoned the driver to court.
• He was summoned for failing to pay the fine.
• The accused will be summoned to appear next month.

How to use it: summon someone for something (Police summoned him for driving without insurance.); summon someone to appear (She was summoned to appear before a judge.)

Similar words: summons, cite

Common phrases: summon someone to court, summon someone for something

To give someone a fine or an official notice of a penalty for breaking the law.

• The officer summoned the driver.
• Police summoned several motorists for speeding.
• She was summoned for parking beside a fire hydrant.

How to use it: summon someone for something (The officer summoned the driver for illegal parking.)

Similar words: fine, ticket

Common phrases: summon a driver, summon someone for something

An amount of money you must pay as punishment for breaking a law.

• He paid the parking summon.
• I received a summon for driving too fast.
• Several unpaid summons had arrived at her old address.

Similar words: fine, penalty

Common phrases: parking summon, pay a summon, traffic summon