wakes

Noun (1)

wake (plural wakes)

1. A period after a person's death before or after the body is buried, cremated, etc.; in some cultures accompanied by a party or collectively sorting through the deceased's personal effects.
   • Where any person has died whilst being, or suspected of being, a case or carrier or contact of an infectious disease, the Director may by order prohibit the conduct of a wake over the body of that person or impose such conditions as he thinks fit on the conduct of such wake […]2003, Section 14(1)(a), Infectious Diseases Act (Cap. 137, R. Ed. 2003)
2. The state of forbearing sleep, especially for solemn or festive purposes; a vigil.
   • The warlike wakes continued all the night,
     And funeral games played at new returning light.1697, Virgil, “Palamon and Arcite”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC
3. (Church-of-England, historical) A yearly parish festival formerly held in commemoration of the dedication of a church. Originally, prayers were said on the evening preceding, and hymns were sung during the night, in the church; subsequently, these vigils were discontinued, and the day itself, often with succeeding days, was occupied in rural pastimes and exercises, attended by eating and drinking.
   • Great solemnities were made in all churches, and great fairs and wakes throughout all England.1523–1525, Jean Froissart, John Bourchier, 2nd Baron Berners (translator), Froissart's Chronicles
4. (obsolete, often, poetic) The act of waking, or state of being awake.
   • Making such difference 'twixt wake and sleep.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
5. (collective) A group of vultures or buzzards.
   • New at the Houston Zoo: A scary, misunderstood wake of vultures2021 July 7, Jay R. Jordan, “New at the Houston Zoo: A scary, misunderstood wake of vultures”, in Chron.com, archived from the original on 26 Jul 2026

Noun (2)

wake (plural wakes)

1. The path left behind a ship on the surface of the water.

See all 19 meanings of wake