Wakeandwake upare verbs which mean ‘stop sleeping or end someone else’s sleep’.They are used in everyday language.
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I stopped sleeping. | The children were asleep; then I stopped them sleeping. |
Wake uphas a similar meaning towake. It is sometimes used as a stronger form ofwake. It can mean ‘stop sleeping’ and ‘make someone feel more awake’:
The noise of the trafficwakesme (up) every morning.
She likes towakeupwith a cup of coffee.(It makes her feel more awake.)
We usewake up!as a command:
Wake up!It’s time to get going.
Not:Wake!
The verbswaken,awakenandawakehave a similar meaning but are used in more literary contexts, often to refer to emotions or things as well as people:
Cautiously, trying not towakenhim, Caroline stepped quietly out of the room.
Different images canawakennew emotions within us.
Iawokenext morning to a brilliant pearly light, but when I went to the window, no sea was visible.
See also:
Adjectives