call (kɔːl
)
Definitions
verb
- (often foll by out) to speak or utter (words, sounds, etc) loudly so as to attract attention ⇒
he called out her name
- (tr) to ask or order to come ⇒
to call a policeman
- (intr) on to make a visit (to) ⇒
she called on him
- (often foll by up) to telephone (a person) ⇒
he called back at nine
- (tr) to summon to a specific office, profession, etc ⇒
he was called to the ministry
- (of animals or birds) to utter (a characteristic sound or cry)
- (tr) to summon (a bird or animal) by imitating its cry
- (tr) to name or style ⇒
they called the dog Rover
- (tr) to designate ⇒
they called him a coward
- (tr) British dialect to speak ill of or scold
- (tr) to regard in a specific way ⇒
I call it a foolish waste of time
- (tr) to attract (attention)
- (tr) to read (a list, register, etc) aloud to check for omissions or absentees
- tr, usually foll by for to give an order (for) ⇒
to call a strike
- (intr) to try to predict the result of tossing a coin
- (tr) to awaken ⇒
I was called early this morning
- (tr) to cause to assemble ⇒
to call a meeting
- (tr) sport (of an umpire, referee, etc) to pass judgment upon (a shot, player, etc) with a call
- (tr) Australian New Zealand to broadcast a commentary on (a horse race or other sporting event)
- (tr) to demand repayment of (a loan, redeemable bond, security, etc)
- (tr) up accounting to demand payment of (a portion of a share issue not yet paid by subscribers)
- (tr) British to award (a student at an Inn of Court) the degree of barrister (esp in the phrase call to the bar)
- (tr) computing to transfer control to (a named subprogram)
- (tr) poker to demand that (a player) expose his hand, after equalling his bet
- (intr) bridge to make a bid
- (in square-dancing) to call out (instructions) to the dancers
- billiards to ask (a player) to say what kind of shot he will play or (of a player) to name his shot
- (intr) for
- to require ⇒
this problem calls for study
- to come or go (for) in order to fetch ⇒
I will call for my book later
- to require ⇒
- (intr; foll by on or upon) to make an appeal or request (to) ⇒
they called upon him to reply
- (tr) to predict the outcome of an event ⇒
we don't know yet if the plan has succeeded because it's too soon to call
- See call into being
- See call into play
- See call in question
- See call it a day
- See too close to call
- See call to mind
noun
- a cry or shout
- the characteristic cry of a bird or animal
- a device, such as a whistle, intended to imitate the cry of a bird or animal
- a summons or invitation
- a summons or signal sounded on a horn, bugle, etc
- hunting any of several notes or patterns of notes, blown on a hunting horn as a signal
- hunting
- an imitation of the characteristic cry of a wild animal or bird to lure it to the hunter
- an instrument for producing such an imitation
- a short visit ⇒
the doctor made six calls this morning
- an inner urge to some task or profession; vocation
- allure or fascination, esp of a place ⇒
the call of the forest
- British the summons to the bar of a student member of an Inn of Court
- need, demand, or occasion ⇒
there is no call to shout
we don't get much call for stockings these days
- demand or claim (esp in the phrase the call of duty)
- theatre a notice to actors informing them of times of rehearsals
- (in square dancing) an instruction to execute new figures
- a conversation or a request for a connection by telephone
- business
- a demand for repayment of a loan
- ((as modifier) ⇒
call money
- finance
- a demand for redeemable bonds or shares to be presented for repayment
- a demand for an instalment payment on the issue price of bonds or shares
- billiards a demand to an opponent to say what kind of shot he will play
- poker a demand for a hand or hands to be exposed
- bridge a bid, or a player's turn to bid
- a decision or judgment ⇒
it's your call
- sport a decision of an umpire or referee regarding a shot, pitch, etc
- Australian a broadcast commentary on a horse race or other sporting event
call option stock exchange an option to buy a stated amount of securities at a specified price during a specified period Compare put (sense 20)- See roll call
- See call for margin
- See call of nature
- See on call
- See within call
Word Origin
Old English ceallian; related to Old Norse kalla, Old High German kallōn, Old Slavonic glasǔ voiceSynonyms
View thesaurus entry=
visit,
=
request,
order,
demand,
appeal,
notice,
command,
announcement,
invitation,
plea,
summons,
supplication,
Translations
- British English:
call
When you make a telephone call, you telephone someone.I made a phone call to talk to my friend.kɔːl NOUN I made a phone call to talk to my friend.
- Spanish:
llamada
nf
- French:
appel
nm
- German:
Ruf
nm
- Chinese: 呼叫 n
- Arabic: مُكَالَـمَة n
- Portuguese: grito nm
- Russian: крик nm
- Croatian: poziv nm
- Czech: volání nnt
- Danish: opkald nnt
- Dutch: telefoongesprek nnt
- Finnish: huuto n
- Greek: κραυγή nf
- Italian: chiamata nf
- Japanese: 呼び声 n
- Korean: 외침 n
- Norwegian: telefonsamtale nm
- Polish: rozmowa nf
- Brazilian Portuguese: chamada nf
- European Spanish:
llamada
nf
- Swedish: samtal nnt
- Thai: การมาเยี่ยม n
- Turkish: çağrı n
- Vietnamese: tiếng gọi n
- British English:
call
If you call someone something, you give them a name.I called my cat Pippin.kɔːl VERB I called my cat Pippin.
- Spanish:
llamar
v
- French:
appeler
vt
- German:
rufen
vt
- Chinese: 呼叫 vt
- Arabic: يَسْتَدْعِي vt
- Portuguese: chamar vt
- Russian: звать vt
- Croatian: zvati v
- Czech: zavolat vt volat
- Danish: ringe til v
- Dutch: roepen vt
- Finnish: kutsua v
- Greek: καλώ v
- Italian: chiamare v
- Japanese: 呼ぶ v
- Korean: ...을 부르다 vt
- Norwegian: ringe v
- Polish: nazwać vt nazywać
- Brazilian Portuguese: chamar vt
- European Spanish:
llamar
v
- Swedish: ringa vt
- Thai: เรียก vt
- Turkish: adlandırmak vt
- Vietnamese: gọi v
- British English:
call
If you call something, you say it in a loud voice.Someone called his name. I heard someone calling for help.kɔːl VERB Someone called his name. I heard someone calling for help.
- French:
appeler
vt
- Arabic: يُنَادي v
- Brazilian Portuguese: chamar vt
Usage examples
The Southern Savoy called in Regent Street, who called us - I'm on weekend call.
, YESTERDAY'S SHADOW (2002)I still miss the BBC, British newspapers and the egalitarian nonchalance with which bus conductors call you'love '.
Country Life (2004)Last November, the party said that Stagg's call for the decriminalising of cannabis was "strictly a personal view".
Irish Times (2002)Timeshare touts, unscrupulous landlords and cowboy builders who call unannounced on elderly consumers will also be targeted.
Glasgow Herald (2001)She was... she still is... a... I suppose you could call her a snob.
, BEYOND FEAR (2002)