wake
/weɪk/ IELTSAcademic
verb
- 1.
to stop sleeping, or to make someone stop sleeping.
- I usually wake at 6 a.m.
- Please wake me early.
- The noise woke the baby.
- 2.
to become aware of something; to notice or think about something again.
- He woke to the danger too late.
- She woke to the smell of smoke.
- I woke up to the problem after the meeting.
noun
the space of water left behind a boat, or the trail left behind something moving.
- A small wake followed the boat.
- The ship left a long wake.
- Cars passed in a wake of dust.
Adinary Nuance
Wake is the everyday word for ending sleep. It is less formal and more direct than awaken, which often sounds literary or written. Compared with rouse, wake is simpler and can describe yourself or another person.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- thức dậy
- Spanish
- despertar
- Chinese
- 醒来
- Japanese
- 目覚める
- Korean
- 깨다
Etymology
Old English wacan and wacian meant “to become awake” and “to keep watch.” The modern word developed from these early Germanic forms.
Common phrases
wake upwake someone upin the wake ofthe wake of a boat
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between wake and wake up?
- Wake is the base verb. Wake up is more common in speech and often means become fully awake.
- Is wake formal or informal?
- Wake is common in everyday English and works in most situations.
- Can wake mean more than sleeping?
- Yes. It can also mean notice something, or the trail behind a boat.