Awakening

from WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)

awakening
    n 1: the act of waking; "it was an early awakening"; "it was the
         waking up he hated most" [syn: {awakening}, {wakening},
         {waking up}]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Awaken \A*wak"en\, v. t. & i. [imp. & p. p. {Awakened}; p. pr. &
   vb. n. {Awakening}.] [OE. awakenen, awaknen, AS.
   [=a]w[ae]cnan, [=a]w[ae]cnian, v. i.; pref. on- + w[ae]cnan
   to wake. Cf. {Awake}, v. t.]
   To rouse from sleep or torpor; to awake; to wake.
   [1913 Webster]

         [He] is dispatched
         Already to awaken whom thou nam'st.      --Cowper.
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         Their consciences are thoroughly awakened. --Tillotson.
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   Syn: To arouse; excite; stir up; call forth.
        [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Awakening \A*wak"en*ing\, a.
   Rousing from sleep, in a natural or a figurative sense;
   rousing into activity; exciting; as, the awakening city; an
   awakening discourse; the awakening dawn. --
   {A*wak"en*ing*ly}, adv.
   [1913 Webster]

from The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

Awakening \A*wak"en*ing\, n.
   The act of awaking, or ceasing to sleep. Specifically: A
   revival of religion, or more general attention to religious
   matters than usual.
   [1913 Webster]