Meaning of call in English
Table of contents
Pronunciation
/kɔl/US accent
UK accent
to browse different examples of pronunciation.Verb
callEtymology
late Old English ceallian, from Old Norse kalla‘summon loudly’Definitions
1. assign a specified, proper name toExamples
- « They named their son David »
- « The new school was named after the famous Civil Rights leader »
Derived terms
- 2. get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
Examples
- « I tried to call you all night »
- « Take two aspirin and call me in the morning »
Derived terms
- 3. ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality
Examples
- « He called me a bastard »
- « She called her children lazy and ungrateful »
- 4. order, request, or command to come
Examples
- « She was called into the director's office »
- « Call the police! »
Derived terms
- 5. utter a sudden loud cry
Examples
- « she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle »
- « I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me »
Derived terms
- 6. pay a brief visit
Examples
- « The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens »
Derived terms
- 7. call a meeting
Examples
- « invite or command to meet »
- « The Wannsee Conference was called to discuss the 'Final Solution' »
- « The new dean calls meetings every week »
Derived terms
- 8. order or request or give a command for
Examples
- « The unions called a general strike for Sunday »
- 9. order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role
Examples
- « He was already called 4 times for jury duty »
- « They called him to active military duty »
Derived terms
- 10. indicate a decision in regard to
Examples
- « call balls and strikes behind the plate »
- 11. stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather
Examples
- « call a football game »
- 12. read aloud to check for omissions or absentees
Examples
- « Call roll »
- 13. send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.
Examples
- « make a signal to in order to transmit a message »
- « Hawaii is calling! »
- « A transmitter in Samoa was heard calling »
- 14. declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
Examples
- « call a runner out »
- 15. utter a characteristic note or cry
Examples
- « bluejays called to one another »
Derived terms
- 16. utter in a loud voice or announce
Examples
- « He called my name »
- « The auctioneer called the bids »
Derived terms
- 17. make a prediction about
Examples
- « tell in advance »
- « Call the outcome of an election »
Derived terms
- 18. challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement
Examples
- « charge with or censure for an offense »
- « He deserves to be called on that »
- 19. consider or regard as being
Examples
- « I would not call her beautiful »
- 20. demand payment of (a loan)
Examples
- « Call a loan »
Derived terms
- 21. give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance
Derived terms
- 22. greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
Examples
- « He always addresses me with 'Sir' »
- « Call me Mister »
- « She calls him by first name »
- 23. make a stop in a harbour
Examples
- « The ship will call in Honolulu tomorrow »
- 24. make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands
Examples
- « He called his trump »
Derived terms
- 25. require the presentation of for redemption before maturation
Examples
- « Call a bond »
Derived terms
- 26. lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal
Examples
- « Call ducks »
Derived terms
- 27. challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of
Examples
- « call the speaker on a question of fact »
- 28. rouse somebody from sleep with a call
Examples
- « I was called at 5 A.M. this morning »
Noun
callDefinitions
1. a telephone connectionExamples
- « she reported several anonymous calls »
- « he placed a phone call to London »
- « he heard the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call »
Derived terms
- 2. a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course
Examples
- « he was disappointed that he had not heard the Call »
- 3. a loud utterance
Examples
- « often in protest or opposition »
- « the speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience »
Derived terms
- 4. a demand especially in the phrase "the call of duty"
- 5. the characteristic sound produced by a bird
Examples
- « a bird will not learn its song unless it hears it at an early age »
Derived terms
- 6. a brief social visit
Examples
- « senior professors' wives no longer make afternoon calls on newcomers »
Derived terms
- 7. a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring his margin up to the minimum requirement
Derived terms
- 8. a demand for a show of hands in a card game
Examples
- « after two raises there was a call »
- 9. a request
Examples
- « many calls for Christmas stories »
- « not many calls for buggywhips »
- 10. an instruction that interrupts the program being executed
Examples
- « Pascal performs calls by simply giving the name of the routine to be executed »
- 11. brief visit in an official or professional capacity
Examples
- « the pastor's visits to his parishioners »
- « a visit to a dentist »
- « the salesman's call on a customer »
- 12. (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee
Examples
- « he was ejected for protesting the call »
- 13. the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
Antonyms
Famous quotes
- « I developed a mechanism so that whatever mistakes I made, I would bounce straight back. Whatever was happening off the pitch, I could put it to one side and maintain my form. Call it mental resilience or a strong mind, but that is what we mean when we talk about experience in a football team. » Gary Neville
- « Leadership is an opportunity to serve. It is not a trumpet call to self-importance. » J. Donald Walters
- « I figure if I have my health, can pay the rent and I have my friends, I call it 'content.' » Lauren Bacall