call */*/*/

I UK [kɔːl] / US [kɔl] verb
Word forms "call":
present tense I/you/we/they call he/she/it calls present participle calling past tense called past participle called

1)

a) [transitive] to use a particular name or title for someone

call someone something:

Her name's Elizabeth, but we call her Liz.

call someone by their nickname/surname/middle name:

The teachers always called us by our surnames.

b) to give someone or something a name or title

call someone/something something:

If the baby is a boy, they'll call him William.

Have you decided what to call the dog yet?

2) [transitive] to describe or refer to someone or something in a particular way

call someone/something something:

The President called him "a genuine hero".

I would call what's happening there a war.

sometimes/commonly/often called:

It is sometimes called the Garden State because there is so much green.

a) to criticize someone, or to say unpleasant things about them

call someone something:

They called me stupid and useless.

Are you calling me a liar?

call someone names (= unpleasant names):

The other children teased her and called her names.

b) to say that something is a particular amount, although this is not the exact amount

call something something:

You owe me £5.30 – so let's call it £5.

c) to describe yourself in a particular way

call yourself something:

He has no right to call himself a socialist.

3) [intransitive/transitive] to telephone someone

He called her from the station.

For more information call 0800 521 382.

call (someone) to do something:

Let's meet next Friday – I'll call to confirm.

See:

collect II

4) [intransitive/transitive] to speak loudly, or to shout to someone who is not near you

Did you call me?

Her father called up the stairs.

call to someone to do something:

He called to the driver to stop.

call to someone for something:

Paul called to the waiter for another drink.

5)

a) [transitive] to say loudly the names or numbers on a list

When I call your name, raise your hand.

b) to announce that passengers should go to their plane because it will soon be leaving

It'll be another 45 minutes before our flight is called.

6) [transitive, often passive] to ask or tell someone to come to a place, usually so that you can talk to them

call someone across/up/over/to etc:

She called me up to the office to explain.

He called me over and gave me a telling-off.

be called to a meeting/the telephone:

He's been called to a meeting with the vice-president.

be called before something:

Robinson was called before the commission last week.

a) [transitive] to telephone a person or organization that provides a service and ask them to come

Can you call a taxi for me?

call the police/the fire brigade/an ambulance:

Jack went to call an ambulance.

Eventually the police were called.

be called to something:

Firefighters were called to a blaze at a school.

b) [transitive] to order someone to be present or give evidence in a court of law

She was scared she would be called to give evidence.

7) [transitive] to announce that an event such as a meeting or election is going to happen

Harris wants to call a meeting to discuss the new proposals.

He should dissolve parliament and call an election.

8) [intransitive] if a train, bus, or ship calls somewhere, it stops there during its journey

call at:

This train calls at Hagley and all stations to Birmingham.

a) to stop at a place on your way to another place, usually so that you can do something

call at/into:

Can you call at the shop on your way home and get some milk?

b) call or call in or call round to visit someone, usually for a short time

I'll call tomorrow and we can discuss it then.

call to do something:

James called to see you.

9)

a) [intransitive/transitive] to say what you think will happen, for example in politics or business

hard/difficult to call:

The situation in the East is hard to call.

It's very difficult to call the market.

b) to say which side of a coin you think will be showing when it comes down after being tossed in the air

call heads/tails:

When Neil tossed the coin, she called heads and won.

••

See:

close II

10)

a) [intransitive] if an animal calls, it makes the sound it usually makes

b) [transitive] to make an animal come towards you by making the sound it usually makes

11) [transitive] to make an official decision about something that happens in a sports game

The ball was called out.

12)

a) [intransitive/transitive] to say which of the four suits of cards will be trumps (= cards with a higher value) in a card game

b) [transitive] to tell someone that they must show their cards in some card games

13) [intransitive/transitive] to tell dancers which movements to make, especially for a square dance

•

call (someone's) attention to — to make someone notice and think about a person or thing

a demonstration that was intended to call attention to the plight of endangered species

I'd like to call your attention to exhibit A.

call something into question/doubt — formal to make something seem less certain

I think that the association's integrity has been called into question by the affair.

call it a day/night — to decide that you have finished doing something

call someone to account (for something) — to say that someone is responsible for something that has gone wrong and expect them to explain it, deal with it, or be punished for it

call the tune/shots — informal to be in a position of control or authority

if you can call it that/something — spoken used for emphasizing that you think something is not as good as it should be, or is not what it claims to be

That was the end of the discussion, if you could call it that.

She would be in pain for the rest of her life, if you could call it a life.

is that what you call it? — spoken used for saying in an angry or surprised way that you do not believe or accept a description that someone has just given

(now) that's what I call something — spoken used for emphasizing that something is a very good example of what you are talking about

Now that's what I call a cup of tea!

what do you call it/him/her/them? — spoken used when you are trying to think of the correct name for someone or something

- be called something

- be called to the bar

- don't call us, we'll call you

Phrasal verbs:

- call after

- call away

- call back

- call by

- call down

- call for

- call forth

- call in

- call off

- call on

- call out

- call round

- call up

- call upon

See:

bluff II, quits, spade, time I

II UK [kɔːl] / US [kɔl] noun
Word forms "call":
singular call plural calls

1) [countable] an act of telephoning someone

The helpline received 100 calls in the first couple of hours.

make a call:

Can you wait while I make another call?

give someone a call:

Why don't you give me a call in the morning?

take/answer a call:

He took the call in his study.

return a call (= telephone someone who tried to telephone you):

He never returned her calls.

an incoming/outgoing call:

You can't take incoming calls on the payphone.

2) [countable] a loud shout to someone who is not near you

call for:

A passer-by heard his calls for help.

3) [countable] a formal or public request that something should happen

call for:

The government has rejected calls for tougher immigration laws.

There were renewed calls for a return to the peace talks.

a call to someone to do something:

This is a call to all voters to participate.

4) [countable] a short visit to someone, especially to their home

pay a call on someone/pay someone a call:

We decided to pay another call on the Browns.

5) [countable] an announcement in an airport telling passengers to go to their plane because it is leaving soon

This is the last call for flight BA6774 to Stuttgart.

6)

a) [countable] a decision that you have to make, especially when you have to choose between two possible actions

"Do we offer him the job?" "It's your call."

a tough/hard/difficult/easy call

make the call:

In cases like this, it's the President that has to make the call.

b) a decision made by an official in a sports game

a line call

7)

a) [countable] a guess about what will happen, for example in politics or business

The election looks so close that it's anybody's call.

b) a guess about which side of a coin will be showing when it comes down after it has been tossed in the air

8) [countable] something that needs your time, money, or attention

call on:

Parents of young children have so many other calls on their time.

9) [uncountable, usually in negatives] the number of requests by customers for a particular product or service

call for:

We only have orange juice. There's not much call for cranberry juice around here.

10) [countable/uncountable] the sound that an animal usually makes

11) [countable] a loud signal played on a musical instrument to tell people to do something

a bugle call

12)

a) [singular] a strong feeling of wanting to do something, especially as a career

Many young people are feeling the call to do charity work.

b) a strong feeling that makes you want to go somewhere or to have a particular type of life

the call of something:

He could not resist the call of the outdoor life.

13) [countable] a statement of which of the four suits of cards will be trumps (= cards with a higher value) in a card game

•

- be on call

- the call of duty

- the call of nature

- call to action

- call to arms

- have first call on

- there's no call for something

See:

close II, port of call