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Definition of waken verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

     

    waken

     verb
    verb
    NAmE//ˈweɪkən//
     
    (formal)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they waken
     
    he / she / it wakens
     
    past simple wakened
     
    -ing form wakening
     
     
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  1. 1[intransitive, transitive] to wake, or make someone wake, from sleep waken (up) The child had just wakened. waken somebody (up) I was wakened by a knock at the door. Which Word?awake / awaken / wake up / waken
    • Wake (up) is the most common of these verbs. It can mean someone has finished sleeping:What time do you usually wake up?or that somebody or something has disturbed your sleep:The children woke me up. I was woken (up) by the telephone.
    • The verb awake is usually used only in writing and in the past tense awoke:She awoke to a day of brilliant sunshine.Waken and awaken are much more formal. Awaken is used especially in literature:The Prince awakened Sleeping Beauty with a kiss.
    • Awake is also an adjective:I was awake half the night worrying. Is the baby awake yet?Waking is not used in this way.
    Look also at compare asleepand the verb compare sleep.
  2. 2[transitive] waken something to make someone remember something or feel something again The dream wakened a forgotten memory.
See waken in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
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