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to awake; waken.
contemporary examples

the new york times has only recently begun to awaken from its 10-year slumber.
ethnic spying scandal swells as ray kelly’s nypd oversteps its bounds leonard levitt february 22, 2012

i get lifted by yearning, as if i were going to melt into him again, then i awaken to reality and seek to quiet my feelings.
“i hear gore’s voice and i want so much to be with him” anaïs nin october 25, 2013

a trip here—for business or pleasure—is sure to awaken your senses, empty your wallet, and open your eyes.
how to get the vip treatment in moscow jolie hunt february 26, 2010

we need artists and filmmakers to awaken america to the disaster ahead.
great weekend reads the daily beast february 11, 2011

half a year earlier, he presciently said sunnis had begun to “awaken” (his word) in anbar province.
iraq war 10th anniversary: what does fiasco mean? john kael weston march 17, 2013

historical examples

remember that when i see you, you awaken much sorrow and much joy.
against the current edward a. steiner

but her interest in his hobby for once failed to awaken his enthusiasm.
viviette william j. locke

one of my duties was to awaken these poor, little waif children for m-ss at five thirty in the morning.
the demands of rome elizabeth schoffen

poor omar ben was a sight to awaken pity, even in the stoniest of hearts.
a night out edward peple

he does outrage to a bona dea: she to the monasticism of the court of law: and he and she awaken unhallowed emotions.
one of our conquerors, complete george meredith

v.

old english awæcnan (intransitive), “to spring into being, arise, originate,” also, less often, “to wake up;” earlier onwæcnan, from a- (1) “on” + wæcnan (see waken). transitive meaning “to rouse from sleep” is recorded from 1510s; figurative sense of “to stir up, rouse to activity” is from c.1600.

originally strong declension (past tense awoc, past participle awacen), already in old english it was confused with awake (v.) and a weak past tense awæcnede (modern awakened) emerged and has since become the accepted form, with awoke and awoken transferred to awake. subtle shades of distinction determine the use of awake or awaken in modern english. related: awakening.