call

1 verb HAVE/USE A NAME

1 (T) be called sth to have a particular name or title: They have a three-year-old son called Matthew. | What was that book called?

2 (T) to use a particular name or title when you speak to someone: My name's Alan, but you can call me Al. | Do you want to be called Miss or Ms? | call sb by: I prefer to be called by my middle name.

3 (T) to give someone or something the name they will be known by in the future: call sb/sth sth: They've decided to call the baby Louise.

DESCRIBE SB/STH

4 (T) to use a particular word or phrase to describe someone or something that clearly shows what you think of them: call sb/sth sth: Are you calling me a liar? | You may call it harmless fun, but I call it pornography.

5 call yourself sth to claim that you are a particular type of person, although you do nothing to show this is true: He calls himself a Christian, but I've never seen him go to church.

6 call sb names to insult someone by using unpleasant words to describe them: The other kids used to call me names.

-see also: call a spade a spade spade (3) TELEPHONE

7 (I, T) to telephone someone: I tried calling last night but you weren't home. | He said he'd call me later to make arrangements.

-see telephone 1

8 (T) to ask someone to come to you by telephoning them: I think we should call the doctor. | I swear, I'm gonna call the cops!

9 call collect AmE to make a telephone call that is paid for by the person who receives it;

reverse the charges reverse 1 (5) BrE SAY STH LOUDLY

10 (I, T) to say or shout something loudly so that someone can hear you: I thought I heard Dad calling me.

(+ through/down/up): "I'm coming!" she called down the stairs.

11 (T) also call out to read names or numbers in a loud voice in order to get someone's attention: OK, when I call your name, go and stand in line.

TELL/ORDER

12 (T) to ask or order someone to come to you, either by speaking loudly or sending them a message: call sb into/over: Later, the boss called Dan into her office. | call sb up/down AmE: Marcie got called up to the Principal's office for smoking.

13 (transitive usually passive) to tell someone that they must come to a law court or official committee: call sb to do sth: They were called to give evidence at the trial.

14 be/feel called to do sth if you are called to do something, you feel that God is telling you to do it: Simon felt called to do missionary work.

15 call sb/sth to order formal to tell people to obey the rules of a formal meeting: I now call this meeting to order.

VISIT

16 (I) BrE also call round to stop at a house or other place for a short time to see someone or do something: The milkman called while you were out. | call on sb: We thought we'd call on James on the way home. | call at sth: I called at the drycleaner's to collect your suit.

AGREE

17 call it $10/2 hours etc spoken used to ask someone to agree with a particular suggestion you are making, especially in order to make things simpler: "I owe you $0.20." "Oh, call it $10!"

18 call it a draw if two opponents in a game call it a draw, they agree that neither of them has won

-see also: call it quits quits (2) ARRANGE STH

19 call a meeting/election/rehearsal etc to arrange for something to happen at a definite time: We've called an emergency meeting of the governors.

20 call a huddle AmE informal to arrange for people to come together to have a meeting

OTHER MEANINGS

21 call into question to make people uncertain about whether something is right or true: I feel that my competence is being called into question here.

22 call it a day informal to decide to stop working, especially because you have done enough or you are tired: Come on, let's call it a day and go home.

23 call attention to to ask people to pay attention to a particular subject or problem: May I call your attention to item seven on the agenda.

24 TRAINS (intransitive + at) if a train calls at a place, it stops there for a short time: This train will call at all stations to Broxbourne.

25 call the tune/shots informal to be in a position of authority so that you can give orders and make decisions

26 call sth to mind

a) to remind you of something: Don't those two call to mind the days when we were courting?

b) to remember something: Can you call to mind when you last saw her?

27 GAMES/SPORTS (I, T) to guess which side of a coin will land upwards when it is thrown in the air, in order to decide who will play first in a game: It's your turn to call.

-see also: so-called, call sb's bluff bluff 2 (2) call back phrasal verb

1 (I, T) to telephone someone again, especially because one of you was not in or was busy: No problem, I'll call back later. | call sb back: Can you ask John to call me back when he gets in?

2 (I) BrE to return to a place you have been to earlier, especially a house or a shop: I'll call back with my car and pick up the painting.

call by phrasal verb (I) BrE informal to stop and visit someone when you are near the place where they live or work: I thought I'd call by and see how you were. call sb/sth down phrasal verb (T) literary to pray loudly that something unpleasant will happen to someone or something: calling down the wrath of God call for sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to need a particular action, behaviour, quality etc: Really, Susan, that kind of attitude just isn't called for.

-see also: uncalled-for

2 to ask strongly and publicly for money, justice etc in order to change a situation: farmers calling for larger government subsidies

3 BrE to meet someone at their home in order to take them somewhere: I'll call for you at 8 o'clock.

4 AmE to say that something is likely to happen, especially when talking about the weather: The forecast calls for more rain.

call sth forth phrasal verb (T) formal to make something such as a quality appear so that you can use it; summon call in phrasal verb (I)

1 to telephone somewhere, especially the place where you work, to tell them where you are, what you are doing etc: call in sick (=telephone to say you are too ill to come to work)

2 (transitive call someone in) to ask someone to come and see you to help you with a difficult situation: Police have been called in to help find missing Sandra Day, aged 7.

3 (call in a loan/favour) to ask someone to pay back money or to help you with something because you helped them earlier

4 (intransitive + at/on) BrE to visit a person or place while you are on your way somewhere else: Could you call in on Mum on your way home?

call sb/sth off phrasal verb (T)

1 to order a dog or person to stop attacking someone: Call off the alsation - it's frightening my son.

2 to decide that a planned event will not take place; cancel: There's no rush now - the game's been called off.

3 (call off a strike/search etc) to decide officially that something should be stopped after it has already started: Rescuers had to call off the search due to worsening weather.

call on/upon sb/sth phrasal verb (T)

1 to visit someone for a short time: Why don't you call on my sister when you're in Brighton?

2 to formally ask someone to do something: call on sb to do sth: The UN has called on both sides to observe the ceasefire.

call out phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive call something out) to say something loudly: Call out the numbers so that we can hear them at the back.

2 (transitive call someone/something out)

a) to order an organization to help, especially in a dangerous situation: The National guard has been called out to help fight fires.

b) BrE to order workers to go on strike (strike2 (1))

call up phrasal verb

1 (intransitive, transitive call someone up) informal especially AmE to telephone someone

2 (transitive call someone up BrE) to officially order someone to join the army, navy, or air force; draft 2 (2) AmE: I was called up three months after war broke out

3 (transitive call someone up) to choose someone for a national sports team, especially football: Hurst was called up for the game against Mexico.

4 (transitive call something up) if you call up information on a computer, you make the computer show it to you

5 (transitive call someone/something up) to make something appear again after it has gone or been forgotten: calling up the spirits of the dead

2 noun

1 TELEPHONE (C)

a) an attempt to speak to someone by telephone: Were there any phone calls for me while I was out? | get/receive a call: I got a call from Jane in Australia last week. | give sb a call: I'll give you a call at the weekend. | make a call: It's cheaper to make calls after 6pm. | take a call (=answer a call): I'll take the call in my office. | return a call (=telephone someone who tried to telephone you earlier)

b) a telephone call asking a doctor, the police etc to go somewhere where they are needed: We're getting calls about a disturbance at a pub in Camden.

2 be on call if someone such as a doctor or engineer is on call, they are ready to go and help whenever they are needed as part of their job: Don't worry, there's a doctor on call 24 hours a day.

3 SHOUT/CRY (C)

a) the sound or cry that a bird or animal makes

b) a shout or cry that you make to get someone's attention

4 VISIT (C) a visit, especially for a particular reason: Sorry, Doctor Pugh is out on a call at the moment. | pay/make a call (on) (=visit someone): Why not pay a call on your aunt while you're in Leeds?

5 there isn't much call for used to say that something is not popular or is not needed: There isn't much call for black and white televisions these days.

6 there is no call for spoken used to tell someone that their behaviour is wrong and unnecessary: There's no call for swearing - I'm doing my best!

7 REQUEST/ORDER (C) a request or order for someone to do something or go somewhere: a strike call | call for sb to do sth: There have been calls for the secretary to resign.

8 PLANE (C) an official message at an airport that a plane for a particular place will soon leave: This is the last call for flight BA 872 to Moscow.

9 DECISION (singular)

a) the decision made by a referee (=judge) in a sports game

b) AmE informal a decision: make a call (=decide) | easy/hard call (=a difficult or easy decision) | it's your call spoken

10 have first call on

a) to have the right to be the first person to use something

b) to be the first person that someone will help because you are important to them

11 the call of literary the power that a place or way of life has to attract someone: the call of the sea

12 the call of nature a need to urinate (=pass liquid from your body)

-see also: be at sb's beck and call beck (2), port of call, roll-call