subpoena
Other forms: subpoenaed; subpoenas; subpoenaing
A subpoena is a document that requires its recipient to appear in court as a witness. If you receive a subpoena, it doesn't mean you've done anything wrong; it just means you may have information that's needed by the court.
Subpoena can also be a verb: You can subpoena someone by giving them a subpoena. If you receive a subpoena but fail to carry out its instructions, you're in big trouble. This fact is suggested by the Latin roots of this word: the prefix sub- means "under" and poena means "penalty." One nice thing about a subpoena is that it's not a summons; if you get one of those, it means you're being sued.
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a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding; disobedience may be punishable as a contempt of courtsynonyms: subpoena ad testificandum
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serve or summon with a subpoena
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Vocabulary lists containing subpoena
Learn these words beginning with the power prefix "sub-" (meaning "below" or "under"). More Power Prefix lists: anti-, con-, fore-, inter-, mis-, pre-, super-, trans-, and uni-! ELA Common Core State Standard: "Use common, grade-appropriate Greek or Latin affixes and roots as clues to the meaning of a word."
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