v. Obs. Forms: 1–3 aweccan, 3–4 awecche. Pa. t. 1–3 awehte, aweahte, awahte, 3 aweihte, aweightte. Pa. pple. 1–3 aweht. [OE. awęcc(e)an, cogn. with OS. awękkjan, OHG. arwechhan, -wekkan, irwecchen, -weken, MHG. erwecken, Goth. uswakjan; f. A- pref. 1 up + węcc(e)an, Goth. wakjan, causal deriv. of wakan to wake: see WECCHE. The modern spelling would have been awetch.]
1. trans. To arouse out of sleep (or swoon).
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Mark iv. 38. He wæs … slapende, & hi awehton hine.
c. 1160. Hatton G., Awehten.
c. 1205. Lay., 812. Heo heom aweihten.
c. 1300. K. Alis., 5858. The Kyng … hastilich hymself aweightte.
c. 1300. Vox & Wolf, 266, in Rel. Ant., II. 277. O frere … of here slep hem shulde awecche.
2. transf. and fig. To awaken into life or activity.
c. 1000. Ags. Gosp., Luke iii. 8. He mæʓ of þysum stanum abrahames bearn aweccan. [So Hatton G.]
c. 1205. Lay., 29285. Þe wind com … and þat fur awehte.
c. 1220. Sawles Warde, in Cott. Hom., 267. Þvs ah mon … wið þulliche þohtes awecchen his heorte.
c. 1220. Leg. St. Kath., 1042. He … wið his word awahte þe liflese liches to lif.
