Call | Mean of call in English Dictionary

/ˈkɑːl/

• Verb
• to speak in a loud voice
1. He called to passersby for help.
2. She called up to her husband, who was at the top of the stairs.
3. Her husband called back down to her.
4. She saw her friends across the street and called over/across to them.
5. He called her name in his sleep.
• to announce or read (something) in a loud voice
1. call the roll
2. call (off) a row of figures
3. They're calling [=announcing] our flight: it's boarding at gate 57.
• to make the sound that is usual for a particular type of bird or animal
1. The birds were calling as the sun rose.

• to make a telephone call
1. I call once a week to talk to my parents.
2. Where are you calling from?
3. May I say who's calling?
4. Thank you for calling.
5. Please call back/again later.
6. She called long-distance.
7. I try to call my parents at least once a week.
8. She called me long-distance.
9. I called the office to get some information.
10. Please call us back/again later.
11. Don't call us—we'll call you.
12. In an emergency you should call [=dial] 911.
13. Call me when you get back from your vacation.
• to tell, order, or ask (someone or something) to come
1. I called the waiter over (to my table) and asked for the check, and then I called him back to order something else.
2. My dog comes running when he's called.
3. She was called to court to testify.
4. He was called to the office for an interview.
5. soldiers who have been called to active duty
6. He's not home because he was called away on business.
• to make a telephone call to tell, order, or ask (someone or something) to come
1. We had to call an ambulance.
2. He called a taxi but it still hasn't come.
3. He called a taxi for me. = He called me a taxi.
• to give a name to (someone or something)
1. Her parents called [=named] her Katherine after/for her grandmother.
2. The immigrants settled along the river and called their new town “Brookhaven.”
• to talk to or refer to (someone or something) with a specified name
1. Her name is Katherine but her friends all call her “Kitty.”
2. This part of the city is called “The Old Town.”
3. It's important to call things by their right names.
4. Human beings belong to a large group of animals called “mammals.”
5. The other children called him (bad) names. [=the other children spoke to him with cruel and insulting words in place of his name]
• to regard or think of (someone or something) in a certain way
1. Some people say he's a good man, but I call him a fool. [=I consider him to be a fool]
2. She went out in the rain without an umbrella? I call that pretty foolish.
3. He's not what you would call a generous man. [=he's not a generous man]
4. Her sense of humor is what you might call subtle. [=she has a subtle sense of humor]
5. (You can) Call me foolish if you like, but I still think people are basically good.
6. It costs 99 cents: let's call it an even dollar for simplicity's sake.
7. You may not agree with him, but he calls them like he sees them! [=he states his opinion in an open, honest, and direct way]
8. You did me a favor and I did you a favor, so let's call it even.
• to give the order for (something, such as a meeting)
1. call [=convene] a meeting
2. call an election
3. The union has threatened to call a strike against the company.
4. The chairman called a halt to [=stopped] the discussion.
• to make a brief visit
1. He called to pay his respects.
2. We're planning to call [=stop] at a friend's house on the way home.
• to say or guess what the result of something will be
1. Nobody else thought the election would turn out as it did, but he called [=predicted] it exactly right!
2. You called it! [=you correctly said what would happen]
3. call the toss of a coin
4. We flipped a coin; he called heads, and heads it was!
5. The election is still too close to call. [=the election is too close to say who will win]
• to stop or cancel (something, such as a baseball game) because of bad conditions
1. The game was called on account of rain.
• to make an official ruling or decision about (something, such as a pitched ball or a player's action)
1. Only the umpire has the right to call balls and strikes.
2. The pitch was called a strike. [=the umpire said that the pitch was a strike]
3. The umpire called the runner safe/out.
4. call a serve in/out
5. She was called for being offside. [=the official said that she was offside]
• to say or decide what kind of play will be used
1. The quarterback called a running play.
• to require (a player) to show a hand by making an equal bet
1. I call you.
2. I call.
• to stop at (a place) briefly
1. The ship called at the port.
• to pray or ask God to do something to someone
1. He called down a blessing/curse on the king. [=he prayed that the king would be blessed/cursed]
• to say or demand publicly that something is needed or should be done
1. The opposition has called for an investigation.
2. The government has called for [=asked for] calm and restraint.
• to indicate that something is needed or should be done
1. The plan calls for three windows to be added.
2. You've won! That calls for a celebration! [=we should celebrate because you've won]
• to require or demand (something) as necessary or proper
1. The job calls for typing skills. [=you must have typing skills to do the job]
2. Action is urgently called for [=needed] in order to avert catastrophe!
3. These new problems call for [=require] further investigation.
4. His rude behavior was not called for. [=his behavior was uncalled-for/inappropriate]
• to go to a place to get (someone or something)
1. I'll call for you (at your house) after dinner.
• to bring (a memory, image, etc.) into the mind
1. These events call forth [=elicit, evoke] strong feelings.
• to make a telephone call to a place (such as the place where you work)
1. She called in sick yesterday. [=she telephoned the place where she works to say that she was sick and would not be coming to work]
• to make a telephone call to a radio or television program
1. Thousands of people called in to make a donation.
2. Many people have called in (to the show) with questions about the new law.
• to deliver (something, such as a message) by making a telephone call
1. He called in an order for pizza.
• to go in somewhere to make a visit
1. I called in on an old friend [=I visited an old friend] while I was in New York on business.
• to say that something that has been given or sent should be returned
1. The manufacturer has called in all its defective products.
• to demand payment of (a loan)
1. The bank has called in the loan.
• to ask for the help or services of (someone)
1. They may have to call in a mediator to settle the strike.
2. Rescue workers have been called in to help search for survivors.
• to make people doubt something
1. His report calls into question the earlier reports we had. [=his report makes us feel not certain that the earlier reports were true]
2. This news calls her loyalty into question. [=makes people doubt that she is loyal]
• to stop an activity (such as work) for the remainder of the day or night
1. We've done enough work for now: let's call it a day.
2. It's getting late. I think we should call it a night.
• to stop doing or planning to do (something)
1. We had to call off [=cancel] our trip.
2. The police have decided to call the investigation off. [=to stop the investigation]
• to cause or tell (a person or animal) to stop attacking, chasing, etc.
1. The dog was barking and growling at me until its owner called it off.
• to ask (someone or something) to do something
1. The opposition has called on/upon the governor to resign. [=the opposition has said that the governor should resign]
2. You may be called upon to do several jobs.
3. Universities are called upon to produce trained professionals. [=it is the job of universities to produce trained professionals]
• to ask for help from (someone)
1. Is there anyone you can call on in an emergency?
• to use (something, such as a talent or skill)
1. She had to call on/upon all her reserves of strength and skill to meet the challenge.
• to ask for a response from (someone, such as a student)
1. I was hoping the teacher wouldn't call on me, because I didn't know the answer.
• to make a brief visit to (someone)
1. I'm planning to call on an old friend after I leave here.
• to directly criticize (someone) for (something, such as bad behavior)
1. He's incredibly rude, but no one ever calls him on it. [=no one ever tells him that he should stop being so rude]
• to order or tell (a group of people, such as soldiers) to come or go somewhere
1. The governor has called out troops to help control the riot.
2. Emergency workers were called out to help with efforts to control the flood.
• to order or tell (workers) to go on strike
1. Factory workers are expected to be called out on strike if a new contract isn't signed by tomorrow.
• to make a telephone call to (someone)
1. I haven't spoken to her in years, but I called her up last night and we talked for hours.
2. Call me up when you get back from your vacation.
3. I called up my doctor and made an appointment.
• to bring (something, such as a memory) into the mind
1. The sound of the ocean called up [=brought back] memories of my childhood.
• to bring (strength, courage, etc.) from within yourself
1. He will have to call up all his reserves of strength to meet this challenge.
• to get (something) from the memory of a computer and show it on the screen
1. call up an old document for revision
• to order or tell (someone) to come or appear
1. The prisoner was called up before a magistrate.
• to bring (an athlete) to a higher league
1. a minor-league player who is being called up to the major leagues
• to order (soldiers) to come for active military duty
1. call up the reserves
• Noun
• an act of using the telephone
1. a phone/telephone call
2. A local call costs less than a long-distance or an international call.
3. If there are any calls for me during the meeting, say that I'll call back later.
4. I got a call from my brother last night.
5. incoming/outgoing calls
6. “There's someone on the phone for you, sir.” “Tell them I can't take their call now [=I can't speak to them on the phone now] but I'll return their call [=I'll call them back] as soon as I can.”
7. Give me a call when you get back from your trip. [=call me when you get back]
• an act of calling with the voice
1. He gave a call to passersby for help.
• the sound made by an animal or bird
1. We heard a bird that had a very loud and unusual call.
• an imitation of the sound made by a bird or animal
1. He's an expert at doing bird calls.
• a device that is used to imitate the sound made by a bird
1. He has a large collection of duck calls.
• a loud sound or signal made with a musical instrument
1. a bugle call
2. the call of a trumpet
• a public request or statement that asks or tells people to do something
1. The government has issued a call to its supporters to defend it and hopes they will answer/heed its call.
2. issue a call = put out a call
3. The campaigners renewed their calls for reform.
4. Their calls have gone unheeded.
5. The political party has issued a call to action.
• a request for something
1. We get many calls for Christmas stories.
2. There's not much call for ice cream at this time of year. [=not many people want ice cream at this time of year]
3. There is very little call for his services during the summer.
• a reason for doing something
1. There was no call for your rudeness. = There was no call for you to behave so rudely. [=you were wrong to behave so rudely; your rudeness was uncalled-for]
• a brief visit
1. I made/paid a brief social call on an old friend. = I paid an old friend a brief social call.
2. The ship made a call at Newport [=the ship stopped briefly at Newport] before proceeding to New Orleans.
3. The doctor was on a call when her patient came to the office.
• something that is called or announced
1. I flipped a coin, and the call was heads.
• an announcement telling passengers to get on a plane, train, etc., that will be leaving soon
1. This is the last call for Flight 139, now boarding at Gate 57. = This is the last call for passengers to board Flight 139 at Gate 57.
• a decision made by an official in a sports contest
1. The runner was called out at home plate, and the manager came out to argue about the call.
• a decision
1. “Should we stay or go?” “I don't know. It's a tough call (to make).”
2. I'll let you make the call.
3. “How should we deal with this problem?” “I don't know: it's your call.” [=you can decide how we should deal with this problem]
• the appeal or attraction of something that makes a person want to go somewhere
1. sailors who cannot resist the call of the open ocean
2. He heard the call of the wild. [=he felt the desire to go out to wild places far away from most people]
• something that requires a person's attention or effort
1. There are many calls [=demands] on the time of a busy housewife. [=there are many things that a busy housewife must spend time doing]
• available to be called when needed
1. a doctor who is on call throughout the day