Grammar Wake, wake up or awaken? Wake and wake up are verbs which mean ‘stop sleeping or end someone else’s sleep’. They are used in everyday language. …

Only wake is used in the sense "to be awake," as in expressions like waking (not wakening) and sleeping, every waking hour. Wake is also more common than waken when used together with up, and awake and awaken never occur in this context: She woke up (rarely wakened up; never awakened up or awoke up).

A wake is a gathering or social event that is held before or after someone's funeral. A funeral wake was in progress.

wake (plural wakes) 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.

But what is a wake, and how does it differ from a funeral or memorial service? This guide will explore these traditions, their historical roots, and how they can provide comfort and closure during a difficult time.

to (cause to) become aware of something: [no object] You'd better wake (up) to what they're doing to you.[~ + object (+ up)] The energy crisis woke us (up) to the need for conservation.[~ (+ up) + object] The crisis failed to wake (up) the public.

In a general sense, a wake refers to the trail left behind a moving object as it passes through a fluid medium, typically water or air. It can also refer to the disturbed or turbulent area of fluid left behind by the passage of a boat, aircraft, or any other object.