awake English · revision 7364

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000|origins=gem-pro *wakaną}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /əˈweɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The verb is a merger of two Middle English verbs: awaken, from Old English [[m|ang|āwæcnan|t=to awake, arise, originate]] (earlier onwæcnan), and awakien, from Old English [[m|ang|āwacian|t=to awaken, revive; arise]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) from [[m|ang|ā-|t=on]] and wacan or wacian, to wake, watch (see [[wake]]),^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) from Proto-Germanic *wak-, from PIE [[ine-pro|*weǵ-|alt=*weg-|t=to be strong, be lively]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) The adjective is a shortening of the old past participle awaken.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ To cease to sleep: about 1000 in the OED, probably before 1200 as awaken in Barnhart.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) The adjective, not asleep, is from before 1300.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Both verbs were originally intransitive; the transitive ''rouse from sleep'' was usually expressed by Middle English awecchen until later Middle English.^(Etymonline) In modern English the strong forms awoke and awoken tend to be kept for the intransitive sense and the weak awaked for the transitive, but this has never been complete.^(Etymonline) The figurative adjective, vigilant or alert, is from 1618,^(OED 1989) and ''awake to'', fully conscious of, from 1813.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – to wake (verb).^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1300 – not asleep (adjective).^(OED 1989)

+ * 1618 – alert.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1813 – awake to.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not asleep.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(awake to)'' Aware of; alert to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stop sleeping; to [[wake]] up.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To make or become aware of something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To stir up, as a feeling or memory.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[awakeable]]

+ * [[wideawake]]

+ * [[half-awake]]

+ * [[unawake]]

+ * [[reawake]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[awaken]]

+ * [[wake]]

+ * [[watch]]

+ * [[vigil]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}