Call

/kɔːl/

Meaning & Definition

noun

a request for someone to come or to meet.

The call for volunteers was announced at the meeting.

a communication made by telephone.

I received a call from my friend while I was at work.

a summons or invitation to a specific event.

She received a call to join the prestigious committee.

verb

to speak to someone by name, or to communicate with someone by telephone.

I will call you tomorrow to discuss the project.

to demand or request something.

The teacher called the students to come to the front of the class.

to make a judgment or decision about something.

I call that a bad idea based on the evidence presented.

Middle English: from Old Norse kalla, of Germanic origin.

call it a day

to stop working for the day.

call on someone

to visit someone.

call the shots

to be in control or to make decisions.

caller

a person who makes a phone call.

calling

a strong urge to pursue a particular way of life or career.

to ask someone for a favor.

I had to call in a favor to get the tickets.

to declare something, often used in a sports context.

The referee made a bad call on that play.