wake
Pronunciation: (wāk), [key] — v., n. waked woke, waked wok•en, wak•ing,
—v.i. - to become roused from sleep; awake; awaken; waken (often fol. by up).
- to become roused from a tranquil or inactive state; awaken; waken: to wake from one's daydreams.
- to become cognizant or aware of something; awaken; waken: to wake to the true situation.
- to be or continue to be awake: Whether I wake or sleep, I think of you.
- to remain awake for some purpose, duty, etc.: I will wake until you return.
- to hold a wake over a corpse.
- to keep watch or vigil.
—v.t. - to rouse from sleep; awake; awaken; waken (often fol. by up): Don't wake me for breakfast. Wake me up at six o'clock.
- to rouse from lethargy, apathy, ignorance, etc. (often fol. by up): The tragedy woke us up to the need for safety precautions.
- to hold a wake for or over (a dead person).
- to keep watch or vigil over.
—n. - a watching, or a watch kept, esp. for some solemn or ceremonial purpose.
- a watch or vigil by the body of a dead person before burial, sometimes accompanied by feasting or merrymaking.
- 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.
- the state of being awake: between sleep and wake.
wake
Pronunciation: (wāk), [key] - the track of waves left by a ship or other object moving through the water: The wake of the boat glowed in the darkness.
- the path or course of anything that has passed or preceded: The tornado left ruin in its wake.
- An investigation followed in the wake of the scandal.
- as a result of:An investigation followed in the wake of the scandal.
- succeeding; following:in the wake of the pioneers.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.