awaken

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awake(n) from (something)

To rouse from something (often sleep). Today, I was awoken from my sleep by my neighbor's barking dog. Awake from your daydreams, class, it's time to talk about the periodic table. While staying on the farm, I was awoken from my slumber by a rooster for the first time in my life.

awaken a sleeping giant

To rouse, provoke, or galvanize the enormous or unstoppable latent power of some person, group, or thing. The political candidate has captured the attention and enthusiasm of young people from many different demographics, awakening a sleeping giant among voters. The country may be neutral, but they have an immense standing army. I fear we may awaken a sleeping giant if we initiate an attack against them. If the prime minister keeps acting in this erratic and dangerous manner, I'm afraid he will awaken a sleeping giant and unify all those countries against us.
See also: awaken, giant, sleep

be in for a rude awakening

To have some very shocking and unpleasant or unwelcome truth (about something) due to be revealed to one. A lot of people were in for a rude awakening when the crappy high-interest mortgages they bought turned out to be worthless. If you think your computer's default antivirus software is able to deal with all the latest threats on the internet, then you're in for a rude awakening. Sarah thinks she's so smart, but she'll be in for a rude awakening when she starts college at Harvard next month.
See also: awaken, for, rude

rude awakening

The shocking instance of learning the unpleasant or unwelcome truth about a situation. We had a rude awakening when the waiter brought us the bill and we saw how much we had spent on dinner and drinks.
See also: awaken, rude
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

a rude awakening

COMMON If you have had a rude awakening, you have been forced to realize the unpleasant truth about something. Such details as have emerged about the new economic package suggest that these citizens are indeed in for a rude awakening. Johnson was confident he could make a quick profit. But, instead of quick profits, he got a rude awakening.
See also: awaken, rude
Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. © HarperCollins Publishers 2012

a rude awakening

a sudden realization of the true (bad) state of affairs, having previously been under the illusion that everything was satisfactory.
2004 The New Farm It must have been a rude awakening for the world powers when upstart Third-World countries began to flex their collective muscle.
See also: awaken, rude
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017

a rude aˈwakening

(written) a sudden, unexpected discovery of an unpleasant fact, truth, etc: If he thinks that the exam’s going to be easy, he’s going to get a rude awakening.
See also: awaken, rude
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
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References in periodicals archive ?
Critique: Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Working with Kundalini: An Experiential Guide to the Process of Awakening" is an ideal and comprehensive introduction to the subject, making it a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library collections.
Working with Kundalini
"Awakening to Life: Your Sacred Guide to Consciously Creating a Life of Purpose, Magic & Miracles" is available on Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com and other online retailers as well as www.AwakeningtoLifeBook.com.
Inspired Living Publishing Author Patricia Young is on a Mission to Inspire Women to Break Free of Their Limiting Beliefs so They Can Live Their Best Lives
We call this "Radical Awakening." It is a tool that we use which makes this kind of recognition highly predictable and reliable.
Arjuna Ardagh: coaching toward awakening
Also, addressing another ceremony in Isfahan city on Sunday, Larijani underlined that in addition to collaboration among the US, Zionists and the ISIL to stop or divert the Islamic Awakening movement, the West-led wars in the region, specially in Afghanistan, Syria and Yemen, are the results of the world powers' political desire games in the region and the spread of a fanatic terrorist culture.
Iranian Speaker: US, Zionists, ISIL Collaborating to Undermine Islamic Awakening
If leaders on both sides do not begin to work together, Egypt's awakening will remain a distant dream, with ordinary citizens suffering the social and economic consequences.
Three alternatives exist for a liberal Arab future
Results: The study revealed that awakenings increased with younger age.
Nocturnal awakening and sleep duration in veterans with PTSD: An actigraphic study
Pointing to the growing tides of Islamic awakening in the region, he noted, "In Muslim states, the Islamic awakening is also the result of the unity between the Shiites and Sunnis."
President Calls for Muslim World Unity
"When mothers tune in to these night time awakenings and/or if a baby is in the habit of falling asleep during breastfeeding, then he or she may not be learning to how to self-soothe, something that is critical for regular sleep," she said.
Experts support notion of leaving infants to cry themselves back to sleep
JAME MORRIS His latest album, T Awakening, may hav mixed bag of review his debut effort landed at the to Drawing heavil event - the birt in 2008 - and o of Morrison's f battle with de Awakening c his place as biggest-se road song Now, th from Rug an exten bringing to the ado Tour begins tomorro Hall.
JAMES MORRISON His latest album, [...]
Associa Mexico Realty Services S de RL CV, a Mexico-based company offering real estate services, has announced a merger with Ocean Awakening Property Management headquartered in Rosorito, Mexico.
-Associa Mexico Announces Merger with Ocean Awakening Property Management
The defections have been driven in part by frustration with the Shiite-led government, which Awakening members say is intent on destroying them, as well as by pressure from al Qaeda, said the Times according to Agence France Presse.
U.S.-affiliated Awakening Council members joining Qaeda ranks in Iraq
YOUNG performers from Coventry charitable theatre group Wing-It Theatre are staging multi-award winning musical Spring Awakening next week in aid of Barnardo's.
Your 60 SECOND guide to the week ahead
"The Uncommon Path of Awakening Authentic Joy: An Integral Guide to Uncovering Concealed Conditioning" is a metaphysical philosophy book hoping to help readers find the true happiness.
The Uncommon Path of Awakening Authentic Joy
The American military says that it is closely following the arrests of 15 leaders of the Awakening Councils, plus the threatened arrests of five others, but insisted that the detentions were not part of a deliberate Iraqi government campaign against these groups, which are mostly Sunni and include many former insurgents.
ARAB US RELATIONS - Apr 15 - US Military Expresses Concern About Perception Of An Iraqi Crackdown On Sunnis
The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America.
The Great Awakening: The Roots of Evangelical Christianity in Colonial America
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