American English pronunciation

How to pronounce subpoena

IPA transcription: [sə'pinə]

Hear “subpoena” pronounced

[sə'pinə]

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[sə'pinə]

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[sə'pinə]

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Noun

  • a writ issued by court authority to compel the attendance of a witness at a judicial proceeding; disobedience may be punishable as a contempt of court

Verb

  • serve or summon with a subpoena

    “The witness and her records were subpoenaed”

Usage examples

  • To avoid the committee's subpoena, he went into hiding.
  • She had been subpoenaed to testify in the Paula Jones sexual harassment case.
  • Botha defied a subpoena to appear before the commission, calling it a "circus".
  • ‘Here’s a subpoena for you, Mr. Weller,’ said Jackson.
  • The current practice would be for the issue of a subpoena.