To become awake; cease to sleep; be roused from sleep or a state resembling sleep: as, to awaken early.To come into being or action as if from sleep: as, hope awakened in his breast.To rouse from sleep or a state resembling sleep; cause to revive from a state of inaction.To call into being or action.[Awaken is chiefly used in figurative or transferred applications, awake being preferred in the sense of arousing from actual sleep.]