Dictionary![]() ![]() wakePronunciation: (wāk), [key] —v., waked or woke, waked or wok•en, wak•ing, —n. —v.i. 1. to become roused from sleep; awake; awaken; waken (often fol. by up). 2. to become roused from a tranquil or inactive state; awaken; waken: to wake from one's daydreams. 3. to become cognizant or aware of something; awaken; waken: to wake to the true situation. 4. to be or continue to be awake: Whether I wake or sleep, I think of you. 5. to remain awake for some purpose, duty, etc.: I will wake until you return. 6. to hold a wake over a corpse. 7. to keep watch or vigil. —v.t. 1. to rouse from sleep; awake; awaken; waken (often fol. by up): Don't wake me for breakfast. Wake me up at six o'clock. 2. to rouse from lethargy, apathy, ignorance, etc. (often fol. by up): The tragedy woke us up to the need for safety precautions. 3. to hold a wake for or over (a dead person). 4. to keep watch or vigil over. —n. 1. a watching, or a watch kept, esp. for some solemn or ceremonial purpose. 2. a watch or vigil by the body of a dead person before burial, sometimes accompanied by feasting or merrymaking. 3. a local annual festival in England, formerly held in honor of the patron saint or on the anniversary of the dedication of a church but now usually having little or no religious significance. 4. the state of being awake: between sleep and wake. wakePronunciation: (wāk), [key] —n. 1. the track of waves left by a ship or other object moving through the water: The wake of the boat glowed in the darkness. 2. the path or course of anything that has passed or preceded: The tornado left ruin in its wake. 3. in the wake of, a. as a result of: An investigation followed in the wake of the scandal. b. succeeding; following: in the wake of the pioneers. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
|