Emily Dickinson Lexicon

WAKE, v.i. [Goth. wakan; Sax. wæcan; G. wachen; D. waaken, wekken; Sw. väcka, up-väcka; Dan. vækker; L. vigil, vigilo. The root wak is allied to wag. The primary sense is to stir, to rouse, to excite. The transitive verb in Saxon, is written wæcan, wecan; but both are from one root.]

1. To be awake; to continue awake; to watch; not to sleep. – Ps. cxxvii. The father waketh for the daughter. – Ecclus. Though wisdom wakes, suspicion sleeps. – Milton. I can not think any time, waking or sleeping, without being sensible of it. – Locke.
2. To be excited or roused from sleep; to awake; to be awakened. He wakes at the slightest noise.
3. To cease to sleep; to awake.
4. To be quick; to be alive or active. – Dryden.
5. To be excited from a torpid state; to be put in motion. The dormant powers of nature wake from their frosty slumbers. Gentle airs to fan the earth now wak'd. – Milton.