wake
wake Lexical Profile
wake Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To emerge or cause someone to emerge from a state of sleep.
"The aroma of freshly brewed coffee helped wake the guests early in the morning."
To evoke, stir up, or make someone aware of a dormant emotion, memory, or realization.
"Reading the historical letters began to wake a deep sense of curiosity about her ancestors."
To hold a vigil beside the body of a deceased person prior to burial.
"The villagers gathered in the chapel to wake the respected elder throughout the night."
• noun
The aftermath or resulting consequences of an event or action (usually used in the phrase 'in the wake of').
"Stricter building codes were enacted in the wake of the severe earthquake."
A vigil or social gathering held beside the body of someone who has died, typically before the funeral.
"Relatives and close friends gathered at the family home for a traditional wake to share memories of the deceased."
The trail of disturbed water or air left behind a moving ship, aircraft, or other object.
"Seagulls glided low over the foaming wake of the fishing boat as it returned to the harbor."
Word Nuance & Usage
'Wake', 'awake', 'waken', and 'awaken' overlap in meaning, though 'wake' (often paired with 'up') is the most common in everyday speech, whereas 'awaken' is preferred in figurative or literary contexts.
• Rhymes for wake
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The verb and vigil sense of the noun derive from Old English 'wacan' (to arise or become awake) and 'wacian' (to remain awake or keep watch). The nautical sense referring to a ship's track comes separately from Middle Low German 'wake' or Old Norse 'vök', meaning an opening in ice.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.