Pronunciations (13)
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/kɔːl/
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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[kʰoɫ]
Pronunciation notes
- Received-Pronunciation
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/koːl/
Pronunciation notes
- British
- Southern
- Standard
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/kɔl/
Pronunciation notes
- Scotland
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/kaːl/
Pronunciation notes
- Northumbria
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/kɔl/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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[kʰɔɫ]
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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/kɑl/
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
- cot-caught-merger
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[kʰɑɫ]
Pronunciation notes
- General-American
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/kɒl/
Pronunciation notes
- Canada
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/koːl/
Pronunciation notes
- Australia
- New-Zealand
-
kɔːl
Pronunciation notes
- GB
-
kɔl
Pronunciation notes
- US
Verb
To reach out with one's voice. To request, summon, or beckon.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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That person is hurt; call for help!
So they called for Rooms; and he ſhewed them one for Christiana and her Children and Mercy, and another for Mr. Great-heart and the old Gentleman.
To reach out with one's voice. To cry or shout.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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"Supper's ready," called Dad from the kitchen.
If you heare a child crie in the night you must call to the nurſe and bid her ſtil it.
More examples (1)
For far—oh, very far behind, / So far she cannot call to him, / Comes Tegumai alone to find / The daughter that was all to him!
To reach out with one's voice. To utter in a loud or distinct voice.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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to call the roll of a military company
More examples (1)
Not ballad-ſinger plac'd above the croud, / Sings with a note ſo ſhrilling ſweet and loud, / Nor pariſh clerk who calls the pſalm ſo clear, / Like Bowzybeus ſooths th' attentive ear.
To reach out with one's voice. To contact by telephone.
Usage- Transitive or intransitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Why don’t you call me in the morning?
Why don’t you call tomorrow?
More examples (1)
There they waited until after eleven, then Paulvitch took down the receiver of their telephone. He called a number.
To reach out with one's voice. To rouse from sleep; to awaken.
Usage- Transitive
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Take not away the Taper, leaue it burning: / And if thou canſt awake by foure o’th’clock, / I prythee call me: Sleepe hath ceiz’d me wholly.
To reach out with one's voice. To request that one's band play (a particular tune).
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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They called I Got Rhythm, and turned to me again for a solo, and I said what?
Jeff Castleman and Rufus Jones were in position when they went out, and he immediately called Satin Doll.
More examples (1)
I thought he forgot all about it, but late in the set he called St. Louis Blues.
To reach out with one's voice. To scold.
Usage- Yorkshire
- Transitive
- Examples
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CALL 1 scold
To visit. To pay a (social) visit (often used with "on", "round", or "at"; used by salespeople with "again" to invite customers to come again).
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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We could always call on a friend.
The engineer called round whilst you were away.
More examples (2)
[...] He ordered Her to call at His Houſe once a Week, which She did for ſome Time; after which He heard no more of Her.
The Celebrity, by arts unknown, induced Mrs. Judge Short and two other ladies to call at Mohair on a certain afternoon when Mr. Cooke was trying a trotter on the track.
To visit. To stop at a station or port.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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This train calls at Reading, Slough and London Paddington.
Our cruise ship called at Bristol Harbour.
To visit. To come to pass; to afflict.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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They say your love will surely fade, girl, / When things go wrong and trouble calls.
To name, identify, or describe. To name or refer to.
Usage- Ditransitive
- Examples
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Why don’t we dispense with the formalities? Please call me Al.
Don't call me a liar.
More examples (3)
I don't know how you and the 'head,' as you call him, will get on, but I do know that if you call my duds a 'livery' again there'll be trouble. It's bad enough to go around togged out like a life saver on a drill day, but I can stand that 'cause I'm paid for it. What I won't stand is to have them togs called a livery.
The Bat—they called him the Bat. Like a bat he chose the night hours for his work of rapine; like a bat he struck and vanished, pouncingly, noiselessly; like a bat he never showed himself to the face of the day.
But the scandals kept coming, and so we entered stage three–what therapists call "bargaining". A broad section of the political class now recognises the need for change but remains unable to see the necessity of a fundamental overhaul. Instead it offers fixes and patches.
To name, identify, or describe. Of a person, to have as one's name; of a thing, to have as its name.
- Examples
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I’m called John.
A very tall building is called a skyscraper.
More examples (1)
The ability of a segment of a glass sphere to magnify whatever is placed before it was known around the year 1000, when the spherical segment was called a reading stone, essentially what today we might term a frameless magnifying glass or plain glass paperweight.
To name, identify, or describe. To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact.
- Examples
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They call the distance ten miles.
That’s enough work. Let's call it a day and go home.
More examples (1)
The whole army is called 700,000 men
To name, identify, or describe. To claim the existence of some malfeasance; to denounce as.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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I call bullshit.
She called foul on their scheme.
More examples (1)
Having been around the block a few times, I immediately called "shenanigans” on it, but even so, I was taken aback.
To name, identify, or describe. To disclose the class or character of; to identify.
Usage- Obsolete
- Examples
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This ſpeech calls him Spaniard, being nothing but / A large inventory of his own commendations.
To declare, or declare in favor of, a predicted or actual result. To declare in advance.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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The captains call the coin toss.
To declare, or declare in favor of, a predicted or actual result. To predict.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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He called twelve of the last three recessions.
To declare, or declare in favor of, a predicted or actual result. To formally recognise a death: especially to announce and record the time, place and fact of a person’s death.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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More examples (3)
“Let’s call it. Time of death, 08:45.” The respiratory therapist stopped bagging. The doctor stopped CPR. There was no heartbeat on the monitor. Michael was dead.
EXAMPLES: Time of death was called at 16:34(Incorrect). Time of death was called at 1634 p.m.(Incorrect). Time of death was called at 1634 hours(Correct). NOTE: Military (or 24-hour) time is not used with a.m, p.m, or o’clock. It is frequently used to state birth and death times, as well as time of day in autopsy protocols. It is customary to write the word hours after the figures.
If you are staring your dream in the face and seeing that it is time to quit, I urge you to call the time of death right now. You can sit here with this book in your hand and do it, or climb to a mountaintop and shout it, or write it on a message in a bottle and throw it out to sea. However you do it, do it. I can guarantee that there is life on the other side of the impossible. And naming the time of death is an important process in moving on, letting go, and getting to the other side.
To declare, or declare in favor of, a predicted or actual result. To declare (an effort or project) to be a failure.
- Examples
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After the third massive failure, John called the whole initiative.
To declare, or declare in favor of, a predicted or actual result. To make a decision as a referee or umpire.
- Examples
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The goal was called offside.
Direct or indirect use of the voice. (of a batsman): To shout directions to the other batsman on whether or not they should take a run.
Direct or indirect use of the voice. (of a fielder): To shout to other fielders that he intends to take a catch (thus avoiding collisions).
Direct or indirect use of the voice. To tell in advance which shot one is attempting.
- Examples
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Every shot must be called.
Direct or indirect use of the voice. To equal the same amount that other players are currently betting.
Usage- Intransitive
- Examples
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I bet $800 and Jane raised to $1600. My options: call (match her $1600 bet), reraise, or fold.
Direct or indirect use of the voice. To match the current bet amount, in preparation for a raise in the same turn. (Usually, players are forbidden to announce one's play this way.)
Usage- Intransitive
- proscribed
- Examples
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I’ll call your 300, and raise to 600!
Direct or indirect use of the voice. To state, or invoke a rule, in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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My partner called two spades.
To require, demand.
Usage- sometimes
- Transitive
- with for
- Examples
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He felt called to help the old man.
To cause to be verbally subjected to.
Usage- Transitive
- with into
- Examples
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More examples (1)
Carried somehow, somewhither, for some reason, on these surging floods, were these travelers, of errand not wholly obvious to their fellows, yet of such sort as to call into query alike the nature of their errand and their own relations.
The basis for his conclusion was called into doubt
To lay claim to an object or role which is up for grabs.
Usage- Colloquial
- Transitive
- Examples
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I call the comfy chair!
Mr. Burns: Any of these islands would make a fine new country. / Homer: I call president! / Mr. Burns: Vice president! / Smithers: [groans]
To announce the early extinction of a debt by prepayment, usually at a premium.
Usage- Transitive
To demand repayment of a loan.
Usage- Transitive
To jump to (another part of a program); to perform some operation, returning to the original point on completion.
Usage- Transitive
- Examples
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A recursive function is one that calls itself.
Noun
A cry or shout.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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He heard a call from the other side of the room.
The characteristic cry of a bird or other animal.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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That sound is the distinctive call of the cuckoo bird.
A beckoning or summoning.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I had to yield to the call of the wild.
Dependance is a perpetual call upon humanity, and a greater incitement to tenderness and pity, than any other motive whatsoever.
More examples (2)
But they had hoped that, when peace had been restored, when no call of duty required him [William III of England] to cross the sea, he would generally, during the summer and autumn, reside in his fair palaces and parks on the banks of the Thames, [...]
We actually have a call tomorrow, which is a Sunday, right after my bridal shower. I have to make enchiladas for 10 people!
A telephone conversation; a phone call.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I received several phone calls today.
I received several calls today.
An instance of calling someone on the telephone.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I made a call to Jim, but he didn’t answer.
A short visit, usually for social purposes.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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I paid a call to a dear friend of mine.
He [...] ſeldom waits, / Dependent on the baker's punctual call, / To hear his creaking panniers at the door, / Angry and ſad and his laſt cruſt conſumed.
More examples (1)
Podson stayed till after five, though he handsomely apologized for outstaying a call. "The fact is, I never think of the time, when I get talking to a really intelligent woman...'
A visit by a ship or boat to a port.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The ship made a call at Southampton.
A decision or judgement.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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That was a good call.
Fair call actually, because don't the girls blow up when you miss an anniversary?
The right to speak at a given time during a debate or other public event; the floor.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The Prime Minister has the call.
I give the call to the Manager of Opposition Business.
The act of calling to the other batsman.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
The state of being the batsman whose role it is to call (depends on where the ball goes.)
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A work shift which requires one to be available when requested, i.e. on call.
Usage- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (3)
page 48: “Mondays would be great, especially after a weekend of call.” page 56: “[…] I’ve got call tonight, and all weekend, but I’ll be off tomorrow to help you some.”
I took general-surgery call at Bossier Medical Center and asked special permission to take general-medical call, which was gladly given away by the older staff members: […]. You would be surprised at how many surgical cases came out of medical call.
We attempted to include all topics that we ourselves have faced while taking plastic surgery call at the affiliated hospitals in the Texas Medical Center, one of the largest medical centers in the world, which sees over 100,000 patients per day.
The columns in the second rectangle show fewer hours, but part of that is due to the fact that there's a division between a work call and a show call.
The act of jumping to a subprogram, saving the means to return to the original point.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A statement of a particular state, or rule, made in many games such as bridge, craps, jacks, and so on.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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There was a 20 dollar bet on the table, and my call was 9.
The act of matching a bet made by a player who has previously bet in the same round of betting.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A note blown on the horn to encourage the dogs in a hunt.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate to summon the sailors to duty.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
A pipe or other instrument to call birds or animals by imitating their note or cry. A game call.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
Vocation; employment; calling.
Usage- Archaic
- Countable
- Uncountable
A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.
Usage- US usage
- Countable
- Uncountable
A meeting with a client for paid sex; hookup; job.
Usage- Countable
- Informal
- Slang
- Uncountable
- Examples
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More examples (1)
"They have a little network of women that watch out for each other," Morford said. That means that if one prostitute doesn't come back after going out on a call – whether it's an Internet prostitute or a streetwalker – and the other women can't get hold of her, they get scared, close up shop and won't work, Morford said.
A lawyer who was called to the bar (became licensed as a lawyer) in a specified year.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- Examples
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The work was done by two lawyers, one a 1983 call and the other a 2010 call.
Need; necessity.
Usage- Countable
- Uncountable
- in negative constructions
- Examples
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There's no call for that kind of bad language!
CALL 2 need for. "There worn't noa call for nowt o't'soart."
Noun
a method of contacting a person by phone
- Synonyms
- Examples
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she reported several anonymous calls
he placed a phone call to London
More examples (1)
he heard the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call
a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience
a demand
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
the characteristic sound produced by a bird
- Broader terms
- Examples
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a bird will not learn its song unless it hears it at an early age
a brief social visit
- Broader terms
- Examples
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senior professors' wives no longer make afternoon calls on newcomers
the characters in Henry James' novels are forever paying calls on each other, usually in the parlor of some residence
a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring their margin up to the minimum requirement
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a demand for a show of hands in a card game
- Broader terms
- Examples
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after two raises there was a call
a request
- Examples
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many calls for Christmas stories
not many calls for buggywhips
an instruction that interrupts the program being executed
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Pascal performs calls by simply giving the name of the routine to be executed
a visit in an official or professional capacity
- Broader terms
- Examples
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the pastor's calls on his parishioners
the salesman's call on a customer
(sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he was ejected for protesting the call
the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course
- Broader terms
- Examples
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he was disappointed that he had not heard the Call
Verb
assign a specified (usually proper) name to
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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They named their son David
The new school was named after the famous Civil Rights leader
ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He called me a bastard
She called her children lazy and ungrateful
get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone
- Broader terms
- Examples
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I tried to call you all night
Take two aspirin and call me in the morning
utter a sudden loud cry
- Examples
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she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle
I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me
order, request, or command to come
- Synonyms
- Examples
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She was called into the director's office
Call the police!
pay a brief visit
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens
call a meeting; invite or command to meet
- Examples
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The Wannsee Conference was called to discuss the ‘Final Solution’
The new dean calls meetings every week
read aloud to check for omissions or absentees
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Call roll
send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message
- Broader terms
- Examples
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Hawaii is calling!
A transmitter in Samoa was heard calling
utter a characteristic note or cry
- Examples
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bluejays called to one another
stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather
- Examples
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call a football game
greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name
- Synonyms
- Examples
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He always addresses me with ‘Sir’
Call me Mister
More examples (1)
She calls him by first name
make a stop in a harbour
- Examples
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The ship will call in Honolulu tomorrow
demand payment of (a loan)
- Synonyms
- Examples
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Call a loan
make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He called his trump
give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance
- Synonyms
- Broader terms
indicate a decision in regard to
- Broader terms
- Examples
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call balls and strikes behind the plate
make a prediction about; tell in advance
- Examples
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Call the outcome of an election
present for redemption before maturation
- Examples
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Call a bond
challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense
- Examples
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He deserves to be called on that
declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee
- Examples
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call a runner out
lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal
- Examples
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Call ducks
order or request or give a command for
- Broader terms
- Examples
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The unions called a general strike for Sunday
order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role
- Broader terms
- Examples
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He was already called 4 times for jury duty
They called him to active military duty
utter in a loud voice or announce
- Examples
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He called my name
The auctioneer called the bids
challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of
- Examples
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call the speaker on a question of fact
consider or regard as being
- Examples
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I would not call her beautiful
rouse somebody from sleep with a call
- Examples
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I was called at 5 A.M. this morning