SUBPE'NA, noun [Latin sub and poena, pain, penalty.] A writ commanding the attendance in court of the person on whom it is served; as witnesses, etc. SUBPE'NA, verb transitive To serve with a writ of subpena; to command attendance in court by a legal writ.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI