▪ I. call, v.
(kɔːl)
Forms: (1 ceallian), 3 callen, 3–6 calle, (4 cale, kal, kel), 4–5 kall, 4–7 cal, 5 callyn, 6 caal, (caul(e), 4– call. Also (Sc.) 7–9 caw, 8–9 ca'.
[OE. shows a single instance of ceallian: but ME. callen, kallen, was originally northern, and evidently a. ON. kalla to call, cry, shout, to summon in a loud voice, to name, call by a name, also to assert, claim (Sw. kalla, Da. kalde). A common Teut. vb.: in MDu. callen, Du. kallen to talk, chatter, prattle, MLG. kallen, OHG. challôn, MHG. kallin to talk much and loud, to chatter:—OTeut. *kallôjan, cogn. with gol- in Slav. gólos voice, sound, and perhaps with Aryan root gar- to chatter.
The connexion of meaning in Branch III seems far-fetched, but there appears to be no doubt of its identity.]
I. To shout, utter loudly, cry out, summon.
* intr.
1. To utter one's voice loudly, forcibly, and distinctly, so as to be heard at a distance; to shout, cry: often emphasized by out, to cry out. Const. to, after (a person whose attention it is desired to engage). One may also call across a river, up a shaft, down stairs, into a passage, etc. See also senses 21–23. (Not in Johnson.)
| a 1000 Byrhtnoth (Gr.) 91 Ongan ceallian ofer cald wæter Byrhthelmes bearn. a 1225 St. Marher. 3 Ha bigon to cleopien ant callen þus to criste. a 1300 Cursor M. 5720 Sua lang þai cald, drightin þam herd. Ibid. 7341 Þan bigan þai cal and cri þat godd o þam suld ha merci. 1393 Gower Conf. I. 148 Upon her knees she gan down falle..and to him calle. 1513 Bradshaw St. Werburgh (1848) 105 Callynge to her, in the name of Jhesu. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. Induct. ii. 91 Sometimes you would call out for Cicely Hacket. 1604 ― Oth. i. i. 74 Heere is her Fathers house, Ile call aloud. 1667 Dryden Mart. Mar-all ii. i, Do you hear, my aunt calls. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 44 ¶6 The Mother is heard calling out to her Son for Mercy. 1714 T. Ellwood Autobiog. (1765) 93 He calling earnestly after me. 1788 Dibdin Mus. Tour xxxvi. 143 note, He called to one of the sailors to tell him what it was. 1848 S. Bamford Early Days vi. (1859) 63, I thereupon called as loudly as I could. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 837 He call'd aloud for Miriam Lane. |
b. Said of animals, chiefly birds, making certain cries or notes; of bees before swarming.
| 1486 Bk. St. Albans A ij, In the tyme of their loue they call and not kauke. 1552 Huloet, Call lyke a partryche. 1609 C. Butler Fem. Mon. v. (1623) L iij, After the second swarme, I have heard a young Ladie-Bee call. 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recr. i. (1706) 73 Being almost spent, it is painful for them [the hounds] to call. 1704 Worlidge Dict. Rust. et Urb. s.v. Bees, In the Morning before they Swarm, they approach near the Stool, where they call somewhat longer. 1825 Cobbett Rur. Rides 289 The poor partridges..were calling all around us. 1847 Longfellow Ev. i. v. 2 Cheerily called the cock to the sleeping maids of the farmhouse. 1851 Tennyson To the Queen 14 While..thro' wild March the throstle calls. |
c. Said of sounding a summons with a trumpet.
| 1606 Shakes. Tr. & Cr. i. iii. 277 Hector..will to morrow with his Trumpet call, To rowze a Grecian. |
d. fig. Said of inanimate things.
| 1611 Bible Ps. xlii. 7 Deepe calleth vnto deepe at the noyse. 1842 Tennyson Sea-Fairies 9 Day and night to the billow the fountain calls. |
e. Cards. To make a demand (for a card, for one's opponents to show their hands, etc.): as (a) in Long Whist, at a certain point in the game, to call upon one's partner to produce an honour if he has one, in which case the game is won; to call (for trumps): see 22 d. (b) in Poker, to call upon one's opponents to show their hands. (c) in Quadrille, to ‘call a king’, i.e. demand and take into one's own hand a king from one's partner's hand. (d) in Bridge (trans. and intr.), to bid.
| 1680 Cotton Compl. Gamester, in Singer Hist. Cards 338 If he forgets to call after playing a trick, he loseth the advantage of can-ye for that deal. 1709 Brit. Apollo II. 36. 2/1 If either A. or B. have Honours they are at Liberty to Call. 1820 Hoyle's Games Impr. 44 (heading) Of calling honours. Ibid. 80 If both sides are eight, and no one calls, each player must possess an honour. Ibid. 93 (Quadrille) Call to your strongest suit except you have a queen guarded. 1883 Longm. Mag. Sept. 499 (Poker) When the bet goes round to the last player..and he does not wish to go better, he may simply ‘see it’ and ‘call’. 1906 A. Sutro Walls of Jericho 11, Duchess. I call no trumps. Tiny. Shall I play to no trumps, partner? 1923 Harmsworth's Househ. Encycl. I. 532/1 The best that you can do is to call one of the suit you want led in case B goes no trumps. 1928 A. Waugh Nor many Waters ii. 74, I called, ‘Three No Trumps.’ And the man on my left doubled. 1958 Listener 11 Dec. 1012/1 West was the dealer and the opponents did not call. |
f. To make a telephone call. (Cf. sense 4 n.)
| 1882 J. E. K. The Telephone 19 The means by which the Exchange operator knows which subscriber is calling is very ingenious and very simple. Ibid. 38 An anxious mother..called through the Exchange for the doctor. 1928 Hecht & MacArthur Front Page ii. 72 Endicott (into phone): Endicott calling. Gimme a rewrite man. |
2. to call at a door: orig. to call aloud there so as to make known one's presence and business to those within; hence, to knock or ring, and speak or make a communication to one who answers the door; whence, to call at a house, to go to the door, or enter, for the purpose of some communication—the extended notion of entering was at first expressed by to call in, still in familiar use = ‘look in’ in passing, or incidentally; to call on (a person): to pay him a short business, ceremonial, or complimentary visit; and absol. to call = make or ‘pay’ a call.
| [a 1300 Cursor M. 10096 Mi saul es cummen, leuedi, þe to And calles at þi yatt ‘vndo’! 1598 Shakes. Merry W. iv. v. 9 Go, knock and call.] 1593 ― Rich. II, ii. ii. 94 To day I came by, and call'd there. 1599 ― Much Ado iii iii. 44 You are to call at all the Alehouses. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iv. v. 6 Goe call at Flauia's house, And tell him where I stay. 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 150 ¶9, I happened the other Day to call in at a celebrated Coffee-house near the Temple. 1787 Cowper Lett. 18 Jan., A young gentleman called here yesterday who came six miles out of his way to see me. 1831 Gen. P. Thompson Exerc. (1842) I. 366 If she is obliged to call again. 1834 Macready Remin. I. 420 Called at the Literary Fund office, and saw..the secretary. 1881 Mrs. J. H. Riddell A. Spenceley II. iii. 65 She thought of calling in Banner Square. Mod. Call in some time during the day. Have many visitors called to-day? |
b. to call at (a place): to stop for a short time in passing, in order to speak or communicate in some way with people there: said e.g. of a carrier who ‘calls’ at a house or place to deliver or receive a parcel, and has his regular ‘houses of call’; also of a vehicle, railway train, ship, steamer, which ‘calls’ or ‘touches’ at places on its way.
Merely ‘to make a short stop or stay at a place’ is not to call: purpose of speaking, dealing, visiting, or other communication..is of the essence of the notion.
| 1670 Cotton Espernon ii. viii. 378 His Majesty continuing his way through Guienne, took occasion to call at Blaye. 1727 Swift Gulliver ii. viii. 174 The captain called in at one or two ports. 1752 Beawes Lex Mercat. 267 Where the vessel was to have liberty to call, in her way down, for a pilot. 1799 Nelson in Nicolas Disp. (1845) III. 147 Captain Blackwood..calls at Minorca in his way down. Ibid. 352 Direct the Ships to call off here, but not to anchor. a 1888 Railw. Time Table, Trains call at this station when required. |
** trans.
3. To utter (anything) in a loud voice; to read over (a list of names) in a loud voice; to proclaim, announce, give out, make proclamation of. Often with out. Also absol.
| c 1325 E.E. Allit. P. C. 411 He callez A prayer to þe hyȝe prynce, for pyne, on þys wyse. c 1720 Gay (J.) Nor parish clerk, who calls the psalm so clear. 1768 Tucker Lt. Nat. II. 530 How..should it come into his head that calling a psalm was more holy employment than sawing a board? 1855 Thackeray Newcomes II. xlii. 445 ‘Adsum’!..the word we used at school when names were called. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 489 His duties were to call the odds when the Court played at hazard. 1886 Manch. Exam. 14 Jan. 4/7 Sir Erskine May called out the names of members in the order in which they were to..take the oath. |
b. To announce or proclaim authoritatively; to decree.
| 1647 in Sc. Pasquils (1868) 152 Might make the Pope a jubilee call. 1859 Sala Tw. round Clock 367 The newly made barristers ‘call’ carouse in Lincoln's Inn Hall. 1876 Trevelyan Macaulay I. iii. 124 He could be angry as an opponent, but..knew when to call a halt. Mod. Here the captain called a halt. We had better call a halt for a minute. |
4. a. To summon with a shout, or by a call; hence to summon, cite; to command or request the attendance of, bid (any one) come; formerly also, to ask, invite, ‘bid’ formally or authoritatively. Also absol.; and with adverbial extension, as away, back, home, in, out, into a place, to a duty.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3712 Sithen his sun he cald him till. Ibid. 19793 Þai þat war oute, in did he calle. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 3 The kyng called a clerke..To take mede þe mayde. c 1500 Blowbol's Test. in Halliwell Nugæ P. 3 Whylis ye have your right memorie Calle unto you your owne secretory. 1535 Coverdale Mark xv. 16 The soudyers..called the whole multitude together. 1549 Latimer Serm. bef. Edw. VI, ii. (Arb.) 57 They were not called to the feast. 1591 Shakes. Two Gent. ii. iii. 61 Come away man, I was sent to call thee. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 264 ¶1 The Bell which calls to Prayers twice a Day. 1712 Tickell Ibid. No. 410 ¶1 Sir Roger's Servant was gone to call a Coach. 1831 Macaulay in Life & Lett. I. (1880) 209, I called a cabriolet. 1847 Tennyson Princess ii. 447 The chapel bells Call'd us. 1882 J. H. Blunt Ref. Ch. Eng. II. 11 Southampton was called before the Council. a 1888 Mod. At the end of the play the chief actors were called before the house. |
b. fig. Also spec., to summon to another world.
| a 1340 Cursor M. 19594 To call men vnto amendment. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 13 b, Somtyme he taketh chyldren..& calleth them to his glory. 1667 Milton P.L. ii. 92 The torturing houre Calls us to Penance. 1678 R. Lestrange Seneca's Mor. (1702) 41 Whensoever my Duty calls me. 1819 Crabbe T. of Hall ii. Wks. 1834 VI. 43 While Richard's mind, that for awhile had stray'd, Call'd home its powers. 1830 Tennyson ‘All things will die’ 20 We are called—we must go. 1866 B. Taylor My Mission, Poems 256 Where the fairest blossoms call. 1886 F. Leslie's Pop. Monthly XXI. 611/2 All the doctors in Christendom..can't save him. He's called. |
c. To rouse from sleep, summon to get up.
| 1611 Shakes. Cymb. ii. ii. 7 If thou canst awake by foure o' th' clock, I prythee call me. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 132 ¶1 The next Morning at Day-break we were all called. 1832 Tennyson May Queen 1 You must wake and call me early, call me early, mother dear. 1858 Merc. Mar. Mag. V. 306 The Captain..was called at 12. |
† d. To invoke, appeal to. Cf. also call to witness, 20 c. Obs.
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3237 Qvað god, ‘quor-at calles ðu me?’ c 1500 Melusine (1888) 1 In the begynnyng of all werkes, men oughten first of alle to calle the name of the Creatour. |
† e. Sometimes with the force of the modern ‘call on’, 23 g. Obs.
| 1601 Shakes. Twel. N. iii. ii. 56 Wee'l call thee at the Cubiculo. 1603 ― Meas. for M. iv. iv. 18 Ile call you at your house. |
f. With the force of ‘call for’; now techn., as to call a case in court, call the trial.
| c 1250 Bestiary 651 He remeð and helpe calleð. 1699 Bentley Phal. xi. 236 The Trial must be Call'd over again. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iv. 480 One that once had call'd Lucina's Aid. 1731 Swift Death Swift, I wish I knew what King to call. 1746 Hoyle Whist (ed. 6) 10 A new Deal is to be call'd. Mod. The judge ordered the next case to be called. |
g. To attract animals by a particular ‘call’, e.g. as in moose-calling.
h. With a thing as obj.: Chiefly with adverbs (senses 24–35); or in phrases, as to call attention (17 a), call to mind (20 b), etc.
| 1761 F. Sheridan Sidney Bidulph (ed. 2) III. 160 But let us call another subject.—When did you hear from Mr. Faulkland? |
i. to call a bond: to give notice that the amount of a bond will be paid.
j. Sc. = Call upon, call at, visit, go through.
| 1837 R. Nicoll Poems (1843) 72 The puir auld beggar bodie, ca'd The toun where I was born. Mod.Sc. ‘I'll caw the haill town for't, or I want it.’ |
k. In various phrases: see 17–20.
l. Cricket. Of an umpire: to declare (a bowler) to have bowled a ‘no ball’; to declare (a delivery) illegal.
| 1850 Nottingham Rev., 11 Oct. 6/5 Regarding height in delivery as to warrant the umpire in calling them. 1862 Baily's Mag. Oct. 201 He was getting high, and if he did not keep it down he should have to ‘call’ him. 1902 A. Shaw Reminisc. xvi. 168 Will Oscroft..bowled a wicket from outside the return crease, and as the umpire did not ‘call’ him he went down that path again..every wicket taken being illegal. 1959 Oxford Mail 2 Feb. 8/6 His drag of the back foot was most noticeable but umpire McInnes, though watching him closely, did not ‘call’ him. |
m. To communicate with (a person) by radio or telephone. (Cf. 1 f above.)
| 1889 ‘Mark Twain’ Connecticut Yankee 477 In the telegraphic line.. I said..‘Lively, now, call Camelot’. 1921 [see call-sign s.v. call n. 15]. 1932 E. Wallace When Gangs came to London xxii. 190 The operator..said she would ‘call her back’. 1936 N. Coward Hands across Sea 23 Clare (at telephone):..All right, darling—call me in the morning. 1968 Globe & Mail (Toronto) 17 Feb. 45 (Advt.), For more information, call Jud Newell 485–9191. |
n. To summon (an actor, etc.) to be ready to appear on the stage; to inform an actor, etc., of (the part of a performance that is about to commence). Cf. call n. 6 h.
| 1938 N. Coward Operette ii. vii. 127 Duggie. Overture beginners, please... Dora. He's calling the overture. 1962 Listener 25 Jan. 162/1 He was called for the last act. |
5. To convoke, convene, summon (a meeting or assembly). See call together, 34.
| c 1350 Will. Palerne 1460 Þemperour calde his cunseil for to knowe here wille. c 1385 Chaucer L.G.W. 1860 And Brutus..let the peple calle, And openly the tale he tolde hem alle. 1503–4 Act 19 Hen. VII, xxviii. Preamb., His Highnes is not mynded..to calle & somone a newe parliament. 1611 Bible Joel i. 14 Call a solemne assembly. 1618 Bolton Florus (1636) 259 Cicero the Consull, calling a Senate made an Oration. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 252 It might be necessary to call a Parliament. 1885 Act 48 Vict. xvi. §12 The notice calling the meeting. |
6. To nominate by a personal ‘call’ or summons (to special service or office); esp. by Divine authority: ‘to inspire with ardours of piety; or to summon into the church’ (J.).
| c 1300 Harrow. Hell 184 Loverd Christ, icham That thou calledest Habraham. 1535 Coverdale 1 Cor. i. 1 Paul, called to be an Apostle of Jesus Christ. ― Rom. viii. 30 Whom he hath called, them hath he also made righteous. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, v. i. 29 What, is my Lord of Winchester..call'd vnto a Cardinalls degree? 1606 ― Ant. & Cl. ii. vii. 16 To be call'd into a huge Sphere. 1611 Bible Acts xiii. 7 Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where⁓unto I have called them. 1680 Mem. J. Fraser ix. in Sel. Biogr. (1847) II. 302, I was indeed called by the Lord to the exercise of the Ministry. |
b. To invite in due form to the pastorate of a church (Presbyterian or Nonconformist).
| 1560 1st Bk. Discipline iv, In a church reformed..none ought to presume either to preach, either yet to minister the sacraments, till that orderly they be called to the same. 1703 J. Kirkton Hist. J. Welsh in Sel. Biogr. (1845) I. 33 [He] was speedily called to the ministry first in one village then in another. 1841 M{supc}Crie Sk. Ch. Hist. I. 137 The Church to which he was afterwards called. 1862 Macfarlane Life Dr. Lawson 53 In due time he was unanimously called to be Mr. Moir's successor. |
c. ellipt. for call to the bar, 20 a.
| 1836–7 Dickens Sk. Boz (1850) 218/1 A barrister?—he said he was not called. 1865 ― Mut. Fr. iii, ‘I’, said Euguene, ‘have been {oqq}called{cqq} seven years’. |
7. To ask with authority, bid, command, enjoin, call upon (a person) to do (something). Now esp. said of the call of God, or of duty.
| [a 1300 Cursor M. p. 962. 23 (Cott. MS.) Þai..calden a blynd knight To wirk after þer lore.] 1580 Baret Alv. C 21 They began to cal Hortensius to pleade in good matters. 1678 Wanley Wonders vi. xxix. §5. 616/1 Some were therefore called to open the Basilick vein. 1756 Wesley Wks. (1872) XIII. 200, I am called to preach the Gospel both by God and man. 1769 Robertson Chas. V, V. 536 note, The subject..does not call me to write a history of the progress of society. 1853 Maurice Proph. & Kings v. 80 The king believes that he is called to build a temple. 1882 R. W. Dale in Gd. Words Apr. 263 One may be specially ‘called’ to shelter the homeless. |
b. Amer. Land Law. To require (objects, courses, distances, etc.) to answer to a description in a survey or grant of land (Webster).
† 8. To challenge; to impeach, accuse of. Obs.
| 1470–85 Malory Arthur (1816) II. 456 Now ye be called upon treason, it is time for you to stir. c 1489 Caxton Sonnes of Aymon 566 Telle me, constans, false traytour, why dyde ye calle my fader of treyson. |
9. Hawking. (See quot.)
| 1483 Cath. Angl. 52 To calle a hawke, stupare. 1500–32 Ortus Voc. ibid. 52 Stupo: to call a hawke with meat. |
10. a. Cards. to call honours, call a king, call for trumps: see 1 e, 22 d. b. To call (‘heads’ or ‘tails’), in attempting to predict the result of tossing a coin.
| 1801 [see head n. 3 b]. 1931 P. A. Taylor Cape Cod Mystery viii. 120, I lost every bet I ever made in my life. If I called heads, it came tails. 1942 Berrey & Van den Bark Amer. Thes. Slang §754/10 Call the coin, to call heads or tails at the toss of a coin. 1958 L. Little Dear Boys i. x. 172 ‘Tails!’ Flash Harry called. It was heads. 1987 Washington Post 8 Sept. c8, I flipped it. He called ‘heads’. |
II. To name, give a name or designation to.
11. trans. To give as name or title to; to name. With complemental object; also to call by the name of; to call one's name so-and-so (arch. and dial.).
| c 1250 Gen. & Ex. 3686 Ðat stede beð cald ðor-for cabroth. a 1300 Cursor M. 11930 A haliday, Þat þai calld sabat in þar lay. 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 42 Ane erle in þe North, Uctred men kalde. c 1400 Mandeville Prol. 1 The Holy Lond, that men callen the Lond of Promyssioun. c 1400 Destr. Troy 5204 The same yle..Cicill is calt. 1535 Coverdale Matt. i. 25 He..called his name Iesus. ― Isa. xlviii. 1 O thou house of Iacob: ye y{supt} are called by the name of Israel. 1562 Latimer Serm. in Lincoln i. 66 A certaine secte which were cauled Flagellarii. 1611 Bible Gen. i. 5 God called the light, Day, and the darknesse he called Night. 1733 Berkeley Th. Vision §16 Wks. 1871 I. 379 To call things by their right names. 1842 Prichard Nat. Hist. Man 206 The people whom the Russians call Tschudes. |
b. To style, designate, term, address as, speak of as; to reckon, consider.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 25143 (Cott. G.) Þar calles him fader ful fele þat er noght to him suns lele. Ibid. 2426 (Trin.) Why mades þou vs in were to calle þi wif þi sister dere. Ibid. 27541 (Fairf.) Synnis..Þat clerkis callin veniale. 1481 Caxton Tulle of Old Age, The poet Ennius callyd hym his swete hony. 1551 Recorde Pathw. Knowl. i. xxvii, That quadrate is called properly to be drawen in a circle, when all his fower angles doeth touche the edge of the circle. 1581 Confer. ii. (1584) I, The Papistes call iustice for treason, persecution for religion. 1611 Bible Malachi iii. 15 Now we call the proud happy. a 1631 Donne Paradoxes (1652) 2 You can cal it pleasure to be beguil'd in troubles. 1720 De Foe Capt. Singleton i. (1840) 1 The woman, whom I was taught to call mother. 1736 Butler Anal. i. i. Wks. 1874 I. 19 That living agent each man calls himself. 1795 Southey Joan of Arc i. 29 Her parents mock at her and call her crazed. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) II. 426 Would you not call a man able who could do that? |
12. To apply abusive names to; to abuse, vilify. Now dial. Cf. to call (one) names, 17 c.
| 1633 Ford 'Tis Pity iii. vi, I fear this friar's falsehood; I will call him. 1701 Swift Mrs. Harris' Petit. Wks. 1755 III. ii. 61 As though I had call'd her all to naught. 1825 Brockett N. Country Gloss. 37 Call, to abuse. They called one another! 1860 Dial. Batley s.v., In the unsophisticated Yorkshire dialect..to call is to put forth torrents of abuse. 1874 Crowle Adv. 19 Dec., No child in the Band of the Cross must use bad language or call any one. |
III. To drive. Sc.
13. trans. To urge forward, drive (an animal or a vehicle). Perh. originally ‘to drive with shouts’; but no trace of this is known since the 14th c., and the sense is not in ON.
| 1375 Barbour Bruce x. 223 Than Burmok..callit his wayn toward the peill. c 1470 Henry Wallace ix. 718 Thir cartaris..callyt furth the cartis weill. a 1600 Montgomerie Flyting 73 Many ȝeald ȝow hast thou cald ouer a know. 1785 Burns Cotter's Sat. Nt. iv, Some ca' the pleugh. 1794 ― (title) Ca' the yowes to the knowes. 1832–53 Whistle-binkie (Sc. Songs) Ser. iii. 29 My father wad lead wi' a bairn, But wadna be ca'd for the deil'. |
b. To drive in the chase, to hunt.
| 1768 Ross Helenore 122 (Jam.) We never thought it wrang to ca a prey. |
c. To make to go; to turn, drive.
| 1724 Ramsay Tea-t. Misc. (1733) II. 167 If that her tippony chance to be sma' We'll tak a good scour o't and ca't awa. a 1776 in Herd Sc. Songs II. 19 We ca'd the bicker aft about. 1818 Scott Rob Roy xxvi, Even if he were a puir ca'-the-shuttle-body [i.e. weaver]. 1863 J. Nicholson The Burnie, Ca' aboot the mill wheel. [So to ca' ower, to knock over.] |
d. fig. as in call clashes: ‘to spread malicious or injurious reports’ (Jam.). call the crack: to keep the conversation going. call one's way: to pursue one's way, move on.
| 1768 Ross Helenore 76 (Jam.) Ca' your wa', The door's wide open. 1785 Burns Ep. Lapraik ii, On fasten-een we had a rockin, To ca' the crack and weave our stockin. 1858 M. Porteous Real Souter Johnny 13 While Souter Johnnie ca'd the crack. |
14. To drive (a nail); also, to fix, fasten, or join by hammering; to forge, weld. Also ca' on.
| 1513 Douglas æneis viii. vii. 174 In every place sevin ply thai well and call. 1676 W. Row Contn. Blair's Autobiog. xii. (1848) 504 Cawed in the boots by the hangman. 1768 Ross Helenore 84 (Jam.) But to the head the nail ye mauna ca. 1789 Burns Kirk's Alarm, He has cooper'd and cawt a wrong pin in't. |
15. absol. To drive (a horse, cart, etc.). to ca' canny, to drive gently and carefully, also fig. Also to drive (a weapon) at, let fly at.
| a 1500 Sir Egeir 45 (Jam.) His spear before him could he fang..And called right fast at Sir Gray Steel..And Gray Steel called at Sir Grahame. 1823 Galt Entail I. xxvii. 239 But..ca' canny. Mod. Will you come and ca'? [i.e. drive a skipping-rope]. |
16. intr. (for refl.). To drive, be driven.
| 1717 Wodrow Corr. (1843) II. 246, I regret your want of health, and fear you may be calling off from an ill time to the joy of your Lord. 1768 Ross Helenore 70 (Jam.), I mounts, and with them aff what we could ca'. 1794 Burns Young Jockey 12 When Jockey's owsen hameward ca'. a 1803 in Scott Minstr. Sc. Bord. I. 199 (Jam.) There will never a nail ca' right for me. |
IV. Phrases and Combinations.
* Phrases.
17. a. to call attention to: to direct or invite (a person's) notice to; to point out, show. (Cf. 4 g.)
| 1827 P. Cunningham Two Yrs. in N.S. Wales I. 204 To call their attention to the procuring of this valuable medicine. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. xxvii, To which I shall soon have to call the attention of the House. 1885 Sir E. Fry in Law Rep. XXIX. Chanc. 484 It is not necessary to call attention to the evidence. Mod. Attention was called to the state of the Thames. |
b. to call cousins: to address each other as ‘Cousin’; to claim cousinship or kinship with. So formerly to call brothers or call sisters. (Cf. 11.)
| c 1603 Marston Insat. Countesse Wks. 1856 III. 112 We two, that any time these fourteene yeeres have called sisters. c 1623 Middleton Anyth. for quiet Life Wks. (Dyce) IV. 443 So near I am to him, we must call cousins. 1751 H. Walpole Corr. (1837) I. 156 Pray do you call cousins. 1808 Scott Autobiog. in Lockhart (1839) 6 My father used to call cousin, as they say, with the Campbells of Blythswood. |
c. to call names: to apply opprobrious names or epithets to (a person). (Cf. 12.)
| [1594 Shakes. Rich. III, i. iii. 236 That thou hadst call'd me all these bitter names.] 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1698) 117 They..content themselves with standing aloof, threatning and calling names. 1712 Steele Spect. No. 274 ¶1 Calling Names does no Good. 1854 H. Miller Sch. & Schm. xxii. (1860) 233/2 He replied to my jokes by calling names. 1884 Times (weekly ed.) 5 Sept. 3/1 They were not in the habit of calling one another names. |
d. to call (a thing) one's own: to claim or regard as one's own. (Cf. 11 b.)
| 1613 Shakes. Hen. VIII, iii. ii. 454 My robe, And my integrity to Heaven, is all I dare now call my own. 1762 Gibbon Jrnl. in C. Morison Life 37, I had hardly a moment I could call my own. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop iii, She daren't call her soul her own. 1857 Hughes Tom Brown i. v, The first place that he could call his own. |
e. to call out of one's name, to address by a name other than the true one.
| 1848 Dickens Dombey ii. 12 Perhaps if she was to be called out of her name, it would be considered in the wages. 1885 C. M. Yonge Two Sides of Shield I. iii. 38 She had rather not be called out of her name. |
f. to call it a day: see day n. 20 b; so to call it a night.
| 1934 ‘J. Spenser’ Limey breaks In xi. 180 There were at least sixty pounds there, and I quickly collared the lot and called it a night. 1968 K. Weatherly Roo Shooter 55 At length, when he had about half a ton of meat on the Rover, he decided to call it a night. |
g. to call one's (or the) bluff: see bluff n.2 3.
18. to call in question: to summon for trial or examination; to impeach; to challenge, impugn, dispute, cast doubt upon; formerly, also, to examine, make inquisition into; so † to call in doubt. (Cf. 4.)
| 1579 Lyly Euphues (Arb.) 119 That..I should call in question the demeanour of all. 1587 Harrison England i. ii. v. (1877) 130 This is alas too open and manifest..and yet not called into question. 1600 Shakes. A.Y.L. v. ii. 6 Neither call the giddinesse of it in question. 1601 ― Jul. C. iv. iii. 165 Now sit we close about this Taper heere, And call in question our necessities. 1671 Milton Samson 43 Let me not rashly call in doubt Divine prediction. 1831 Brewster Newton (1855) I. xiii. 371 This opinion..has only recently been called in question. 1844 Thackeray B. Lyndon xix, For calling the honour of his mother in question. |
19. to call into being, existence: to give life to, make, create. call into play: to bring into action.
| 1754 Sherlock Disc. (1759) I. ii. 76 To call Men from the Grave into being. 1868 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) II. x. 508 It was no small work to call into being that mighty abbey. 1873 Max Müller Sc. Relig. 29 By which a canon of sacred books is called into existence. 1874 Blackie Self-Cult. 45 An art which calls into play all the powers that belong to a prompt and vigorous manhood. |
20. a. to call to account: to summon (one) to render an account, or to answer for conduct; hence, to reprove, rebuke: cf. account n. 7, 8. call to arms: to summon to prepare for battle or war. call to the bar: to admit as a barrister; see bar n.1 24. call to (one's) feet, legs: to bid one stand up; spec. to bid one in a company rise and speak, propose a toast, sing, etc. (Cf. 4, 6.)
| a 1618 Raleigh Rem. (1664) D j a, Call your observation to accompt and you shall find it as I say. 1659 Pearson Creed (1839) 13 They who heard St. Peter call a lame man unto his legs. 1711 Addison Spect. No. 89 ¶1 He was called to the Bar. 1833 H. Martineau Manch. Strike v. 61 This ‘mob’ declared their intention of calling Wentworth to account. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 192 Calling the old soldiers of the Commonwealth to arms. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 139 He who transgresses them is to be corrected, or, in other words, called to account. |
b. to call to memory, mind, remembrance: to recollect, recall, cause to be remembered; also with back: cf. 26 d. (Cf. 4.)
| 1472 Paston Lett. 700 III. 51 Preying yow to call to your mynd. 1583 Stubbes Anat. Abus. ii. 1, I cannot call your name to remembrance. 1611 Bible Mark xiv. 72 Peter called to minde the word that Iesus said vnto him. 1701 Earl Clarendon in Pepys' Diary VI. 207 Whose name I cannot call to mind. 1835 Marryat Jac. Faithf. xxiv, Calling to mind what had occurred. 1871 R. H. Hutton Ess. (1877) I. 3 It is necessary to call to mind..a strangely-forgotten truth. |
c. to call to witness, record, surety: to summon or appeal to (one) to bear witness, etc. (Cf. 4 d.)
| 1535 Coverdale Deut. iv. 26, I call heauen and earth to recorde [1611 to witnesse] ouer you this daie. 1601 Shakes. All's Well v. iii. 108 She call'd the Saints to suretie, That she would neuer put it from her finger. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 504 They were all ready to call God to witness that they renounced all spiritual connection with foreign prelates. 1859 Tennyson Elaine 1291 To this I call my friends in testimony. |
** With prepositions.
Formed on the intrans. senses 1 and 2; the combination, however, has often the force of a transitive verb, and takes an indirect passive, as ‘a light was called for’, ‘we are not called upon to act’.
21. call after. See 1. † Also, to ask for, demand, summon (obs.).
| c 1340 Cursor M. 17842 Anoon þei calde aftir parchemyne. 1377 Langl. P. Pl. B. iii. 100 The kynge called after Mede. |
22. call for. a. To ask loudly or authoritatively for; to order; fig. to claim, require, demand.
| 1535 Coverdale Ezek. xxxvi. 29, I wil call for the corne, and wil increase it. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iii. ii. 172 Hee calls for wine. 1601 ― All's Well i. i. 202 My Lord cals for you. 1737 Berkeley App. Querist §104 Wks. 1871 III. 534 Whether our circumstances do not call aloud for some present remedy? 1801 I. Milner Life xiii. (1842) 246 He said some things which, I thought, called for a fresh lashing. 1843 Ruskin Mod. Paint. (1857) I. Pref. 9 The crying evil which called for instant remedy. 1875 Scrivener Lect. Grk. Test. 18 Few employments call for so much patience. |
b. To call for (a speaker, actor, etc.) to appear in order to receive the applause of the audience.
| 1822 New Month. Mag. IV. 315 If the public call for an actor whom they have not seen a long time. 1831 Macready in Remin. I. 413 The audience called for me, and seemed pleased in applauding me. 1851 Illust. Lond. News 46 The author and the performers were called for. |
c. To go to or stop at a place and ask for.
| 1641 Best Farm. Bks. (1856) 103 The cadgers..call for it againe as they come backe. 1833 H. Martineau Three Ages iii. 89 To be left at the Blue Lion till called for. |
d. Card-playing. to call for trumps: to indicate by special play to one's partner that he is to play out trumps. Also absol.
| 1746 Hoyle Whist (ed. 6) 79 If your Partner calls..you are to trump to him. |
23. to call on or upon. a. To call to a person with a request or entreaty; to address in a loud voice; to apostrophize the absent or dead.
| c 1400 Destr. Troy 388 The Kyng was full curtais, calt on a maiden. 1475 Caxton Jason 70 And whan he had so don he began to calle upon the two knightes. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. i. ii. 15 Who is it in the presse, that calles on me? 1718 J. Chamberlayne Relig. Philos. (1730) Ded., The Texts..in which he does so often call upon Atheists and Infidels. |
b. To invoke, or make supplication to (God, etc.).
| a 1300 Hymn to Virg. 1 in Trin. Coll. Hom. App. 257 Moder milde flur of alle..On þe hit is best to calle. a 1300 Cursor M. 5718 On drightin can þai cri and call. Ibid. 19670 All þat calles on þi nam. 1490 Caxton Eneydos iv. 19 The goddis by hym adoured and callid on. 1611 Bible Gen. iv. 26 Then began men to call vpon the Name of the Lord. 1867 Lytton Lost T. Miletus 67 One night on death he called And passed with death away. |
c. (a) To appeal to, make direct application to (a person) for (something) or to do (something); to require, to make a demand upon. In the passive, said also of the call or requirements of duty.
| 1472 Marg. Paston Lett. No. 695 III. 45 Yt is seyde here that my Lord Archebysschoppe is ded; and yf yt be so, calle up on hys suertes for the mony. c 1600 Shakes. Sonn. lxxix. 1 Whilst I alone did call upon your aid. 1750 Johnson Rambl. No. 120 ¶2 He called for help upon the sages of physick. 1814 Lett. fr. England II. liii. 368 He called upon his congregation for horses. |
| 1530 Palsgr. 473/2 Call upon them to remember my mater. 1603 Shakes. Meas. for M. v. i. 287 Speake not you to him till we call vpon you. 1817 Jas. Mill Brit. India II. v. iv. 427 They would be called upon by parliament to produce their records. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 530 Lord Berkeley called on all his friends to help him. 1883 Sir W. Brett in Law Rep. 11 Queen's B. Div. 599 Without calling upon the defendant's counsel we are prepared now to give judgment. a 1888 Mod. A man is not called upon to make such sacrifices every day. |
(b) To require or urge (a horse) to exert itself further. Cf. ask v. 2 b.
| 1850 ‘H. Hieover’ Pract. Horsemanship viii. 163 In the last few strides [of a race], where sudden and increased exertion is called for, and the horse is, in technical phrase, ‘called upon’. 1886 Ld. Suffolk & W. G. Craven Racing v. 86 Romanus is seen to..lose his pace. Wood calls on him without mending matters. 1894 Custance Riding Recoll. xi. 162 When I called on the gallant animal for the final effort, he got up and won. |
† d. To appeal to as an authority or precedent.
| 1647 Clarendon Hist. Reb. i. (1843) 22/2 His [Earl of Manchester's] authority..was still called upon. 1655 Fuller Ch. Hist. vi. 312 Commonly Princes call on such Statutes when themselves are called on by their necessities. |
† e. To make a claim for, demand (money due).
| 1472 Marg. Paston Lett. 695 III. 44, I pray ȝow send me a kopy of the dyssecharge..bothe for my dyscharge and ȝowyrs wat sum ever that be callyd upon of eyther of us here after. 1607 Shakes. Timon ii. ii. 22 My Master is awak'd by great occasion To call vpon his owne. |
† f. To impeach, challenge. Obs.
| 1606 Shakes. Ant. & Cl. i. iv. 28 Full surfets, and the drinesse of his bones, Call on him for't. 1740 Chesterfield Lett. I. clx. 295 You call upon me for the partiality of an author to his own works. 1791 Smeaton Edystone L. §73 Supposing his character called upon, not only as a professional man, but as a man of veracity. |
g. To pay a short visit to, to make a call on.
| 1602 Shakes. Ham. iii. iii. 34 Ile call vpon you ere you go to bed. 1822 New Month. Mag. IV. 403 He had called on me in Wales, and stayed with me nearly three days. 1840 Fraser's Mag. XXI. 404, I can..occupy myself..in calling upon some friends. |
*** With adverbs.
(See also the prec. senses, and the adverbs themselves for less specialized combinations.)
24. call again. a. See senses 1–3, and again. † b. [sense 4.] To call back, recall, restore; to revoke, retract. Obs.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 26459 If eft misdos wel es right Þe laured call again his plight. c 1330 R. Brunne Chron. 215 (Mätz.) Calle ageyn thin oth. 1483 Cath. Angl. 52 To calle agane, reuocare. 1509 Hawes Past. Pleas. xxi. xvi, Dede done can not be called agayne. a 1528 Skelton Ph. Sparowe 22 Nothynge it auayled To call Phylyp agayne Whom Gyb our cat hath slayne. 1562 Turner Herbal ii. 84 a, The juice..calleth them agayn that ar brought in to an extreme depe slepe. 1587 Golding De Mornay xiv. 211 Time can⁓not be called againe. |
25. call away. [sense 4.] To summon or cause to come from one's actual place or occupation; fig. to divert, call off (the mind, thoughts, etc.).
| a 1748 Watts (J.) The passions call away the thoughts. 1741 H. Walpole Lett. H. Mann III. ix. 27, I..am called away and scarce know what I say. 1833 Lamb Last Ess. Elia (Chandos) 478 When..necessity calleth him away. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) I. 41 Menexenus, who is called away to take part in a sacrifice. |
26. call back. a. See senses 1, 3, and back.
b. [sense 4] trans. To summon (a person) to return; to recall; to bring back (a thing).
| 1594 Carew Huarte's Exam. Wits viii. (1596) 117 The much cold..calleth backe the naturall heate inward by counterposition. 1611 Bible 1 Esdr. i. 50 God.. sent by his messenger to call them backe. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 409 The raging Tempest call'd him back in vain. 1875 Jowett Plato (ed. 2) V. 68 Wine may call back the vital powers in disease. |
c. To revoke, retract.
| 1553 Bale Vocac. in Harl. Misc. (Malh.) I. 356 He called a great pece of his tale backe againe. 1605 Broughton Corrupt. Handl. Relig. 6 He calleth backe himselfe in particulars. 1611 Bible Isa. xxxi. 2 Yet he..wil not call backe his words. 1848 S. Bamford Early Days vii. (1859) 68 Rap out a round regimental oath, and as instantly call it back with a ‘Lord help us’. |
d. To recall to memory, remember.
| 1851 Trench Poems 38 Then calling back this day we will be strong. |
e. intr. To revert to type; = throw back, throw v. 38 d.
| 1853 Jrnl. R. Agrie. Soc. XIV. i. 112 Isolated individuals appear, which, in the phraseology of breeders, ‘call back’ to their more remote progenitors. 1855 Ibid. XVI. i. 22 The offspring are said..to call back to their grand parents. |
27. call down. a. intr. See senses I, and down adv.
b. trans. See sense 4, and down; also fig. to invoke from above, bring down, cause to descend.
| 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. x, On his name Shall call down wretchedness and shame. 1864 Tennyson En. Ard. 324 Calling down a blessing on his head. 1869 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) III. xii. 197 Irregularities which called down the censures of Pope Leo. |
† c. [from 3.] To lower by proclamation; to denounce, decry. Obs.
| 1551 Robinson tr. More's Utop. (Arb.) 59 To calle downe the value of coyne to lesse then it is worthe. 1605 Bacon Adv. Learn. ii. §3 If an untruth..bee once on foot..it is never called downe. 1633 T. Stafford Pac. Hib. iv. (1821) 267 All other moneyes..shall bee decryed, annulled, and called downe. 1668 Child Disc. Trade (1698) 246 If the rate of Usury should be called down. |
† d. [from 1.] To call to one to come or sit down, to stop (a speaker). Obs.
| 1656 in Burton Diary (1828) I. 295 He went on a little way in it, but was called down, in respect it was late. |
e. To rate or reprove; to challenge sharply. colloq.
| 1896 Ade Artie iii. 27, I didn't want to call her down. 1897 Kipling Capt. Cour. ix. 196 An unsatisfied dough-faced youth who took delight in ‘calling down the old man’ and reducing his mother to tears. 1904 F. Lynde Grafters v. 58 He..so far lost his temper as to get himself called down by the judge. a 1910 ‘O. Henry’ Trimmed Lamp (1916) 209 When Fernando wanted to give me several thousand dollars for my trousseau he called him down something awful. 1940 H. G. Wells Babes in Darkling Wood i. i. 35 It's all very well for you to call it down, young lady, and criticise it. |
28. call forth. a. lit. To summon or cause to come forward; to call out.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 11083 Sir Zachari þai did call forth. 1526 Tindale Acts xxiv. 2 When Paul was called forth, Tartullus began to accuse him. 1590 Shakes. Mids. N. i. ii. 15 Call forth your Actors by this scrowle. 1667 Milton P.L. x. 649 Calling forth by name His mightie Angels. |
b. fig. To summon fig., to cause to appear; to draw forth, elicit; to summon up (courage).
| 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. iii. 501 The Western Winds..Call forth the tender Grass. 1709 Pope Ess. Crit. 666 And call new beauties forth from ev'ry line. 1713 ― Prol. Addison's Cato 16 He..calls forth Roman drops from British eyes. 1853 Arab. Nts. (Rtldg.) 731 He then called forth his courage, and went up. |
29. call in. a. intr. See senses 1, 2, and in.
b. trans. See 4; spec. To withdraw from the outside, from an advanced position, from free action, from circulation or publicity.
| 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iii. 28 Call in the Powers, good cousin Westmerland. 1633 Massinger New Way iv. ii, Call-in his license. 1644 Milton Areop. (Arb.) 32 If one of your publisht Orders..were call'd in. 1668 Child Disc. Trade (1698) 246 That money will be suddenly called in. 1676 R. Dixon Two Test. 70 If a Book be called in, I will therefore buy it. 1875 Jevons Money (1878) 114 The last proclamation of June, 1842, calling in light gold. 1885 Law Rep. 29 Chanc. Div. 461 The whole balance of the mortgage..might be at once called in. 1885 Manch. Exam. 5 May 4/7 The Russians are willing to call in their outposts. |
c. To summon for assistance or consultation.
| 1678 N. Wanley Wonders v. i. §103. 468/2 The Swedes, who were called in for the support of the German liberty. 1875 Jevons Money (1878) 36 To call in the aid of the microscope. 1885 Sir J. Hannen in Law Rep. 10 Probate Div. 90 Sir William Gull was called in. |
d. To require the payment or repayment of (money outstanding): cf. call n. 11.
| 1701 Lond. Gaz. No. 3749/8 Part of the 10 per Cent...to be called in. 1713 Ibid. No. 5114/3, 20s. per Share was..called in. |
30. call off. a. See senses 1, 3, and off.
b. [See 4.] To summon away, or from what one is doing; fig. to divert, call away (the attention).
| 1633 Bp. Hall Hard Texts 545 The Lord..will call off those evils w{supc}{suph} they groane under. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 104 ¶2 My Eyes were suddenly called off from these..Objects by a little Party of Horsemen. 1766 Goldsm. Vic. W. xxxi, But the appearance of..the jailer's two servants now called off our attention. 1810 Scott Lady of L. iii. iv, And in mid chase called off his hound. |
c. trans. To cancel (an engagement, etc.), draw back from (an undertaking). Also intr.
| 1888 Mrs. Oliphant Second Son v, Why, in the name of all that's idiotic, do you call off now, and disappoint her..and defy me? 1900 Ade More Fables 158 He was about to Call Off the Vestry Meeting, the Dinner, and all other Engagements for a Week to come. 1902 Daily Chron. 17 Oct. 5/3 The delegates of the Miners' Convention must first pass a vote upon the question of calling off the strike. 1927 Observer 14 Aug. 6 That he would have been profoundly relieved if the whole expedition had been called off. 1952 V. Gollancz My Dear Timothy 388 But I am almost certain that, war, or no war, I should have called it off. |
31. call on. a. See senses 1, 3, and on adv. (a., n.1)
† b. trans. To invite to come on, allure, incite; fig. to encourage the growth of, bring on. Obs.
| 1603 Florio Montaigne ii. xii. (1632) 296 It is a wonder, whither the perverse wickednesse of mans heart will proceed, if it be but called-on by any little successe. 1626 Bacon Sylva §546 How to multiply and call on mosses. |
c. intr. Of hounds: To ‘challenge’.
| 1704 Worlidge Dict. Rust. et Urb. s.v. Fox-hunting, And for such as are first cast off, let them be old stanch-hounds, which are sure; and if you hear such an one call on merrily, you must cast off some other to him. 1847–78 Halliwell s.v., When hounds are first cast off, and find game, they are said to call on. |
32. call out. a. See senses 1, 3, and out adv.
b. To call or summon forth; fig. to evoke. spec. to summon to active or permanent service in a campaign or in a state of emergency.
| c 1450 Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 605 Provoco..to calle out. 1779 Digest of Militia Laws 112 Every such person, having served in the Militia when called out into actual service. 1840 Fraser's Mag. XXII. 697 The usual trick of being called out a dozen times, under pretence of a patient wanting me. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. iii. 291 When the trainbands were called out against an enemy. 1853 Bunn Old Eng. II. 53 Shot by the military, who had been called out for the occasion. 1876 Green Short Hist. iv. §3 (1882) 176 [His] fiercest burst of vengeance was called out by an insult to his mother. a 1888 Mod. The military were called out. 1890 Chambers's Jrnl. 5 July 423/1 The fog-signalmen..are often called out for a night's ‘fogging’ just as they have finished a hard day's work. 1921 Act 11 & 12 Geo. V c. 15 §9 Where..a man of the Naval Reserves.. is called into actual service or called out for permanent service..on an occasion of great emergency. |
c. To challenge to fight (esp. a duel).
| 1823 New Month. Mag. VIII. 111 Damme if I don't call them out. 1840 Fraser's Mag. XXI. 594 In modern..parlance, ‘I call you out’. 1882 C. Pebody Eng. Journalism xi. (1883) 78 [He] contrived..to be called out for a criticism which was too free and frank even for those times. |
† d. To call for repayment of (money in a bank, or the like). Obs.
| 1682 Luttrell Brief Rel. (1857) I. 211 Severall persons who had money in the chamber of London..thought fitt to call it out, but were told there were no orders to pay any. |
e. To summon (workers) to strike. orig. U.S.
| 1895 H. P. Robinson Men born Equal 284 Ugly threats, moreover, were being made by the strikers that the members of other labor organizations would be ‘called out’. 1947 Times 1 May 5/2 The chairman..talked of launching a national strike and of calling out the seamen, the road transport workers, and the engineers. 1957 Screen Printer & Display Producer July 1/1 It was never the intention of the Union to call all its members out. |
33. call over. a. See senses 1, 3, and over.
b. To read aloud (a roll or list of names), to which the persons called are to answer, in order to prove their presence. Also absol.
| 1687 Bp. Cartwright in Magd. Coll. & Jas. II (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) 117 We called over the College Roll. 1837 Dickens Pickw. xxxiv, A gentleman in black..proceeded to call over the names of the jury. 1864 H. Cox Instit. i. ix. 137 It has been the practice of the House of Commons, on several occasions of sufficient importance, to order that the House be called over at a future day. |
† c. To read aloud, recite (an announcement), proclaim; to recite, rehearse (a story). Obs. or dial.
| 1681 Select. fr. Harl. Misc. (1793) 466 Here let me call over a story. 1865 Harland Lanc. Lyrics 137 Iv o' Sunday to't chourch theaw wilt gang, Ther axins tha'll yer um coed o'er. |
d. call over the coals: see coal.
34. call together (see 5). To summon to assemble, to convoke.
| 1526 Tindale Luke xxiii. 13 And Pilate called [Wyclif clepid] to geder the hye prestes. 1611 Bible Jer. l. 29 Call together the archers against Babylon. Mod. Call the workmen together at once. |
35. call up. a. See senses 1, 3, and up adv.
b. To summon, from some lower region or place (e.g. from Hades), to bring into the mind by an effort of memory or imagination.
| 1632 Milton Penseroso 109 That thy power Might..call up him who left untold The story of Cambuscan bold. 1667 ― P.L. iii. 603 Philosophers..call up unbound..old Proteus from the Sea. 1847 L. Hunt Men, Wom. & B. II. viii. 146 A tinselled nymph..calling up commonplaces with a wand. 1871 Freeman Norm. Conq. (1876) IV. xvii. 32 Able to call up a personal image of several men of the days of Eadward. |
c. To summon before an authority, tribunal, or examiner.
| 1753 World No. 35, I was unfortunately called up to give evidence against him. 1846 M{supc}Culloch Acc. Brit. Empire (1854) II. 323 In school..the master ‘calls up’ a certain number..with each of whom he construes a part. |
d. To call to mind, recall.
| 1713 Addison Cato i. iv, Why do'st thou call my sorrows up afresh? 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 155 The occasion..could not but call up some recollections. |
e. To call on or incite to rise and speak.
| 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. II. 524 These words called up Rochester. He defended the petition. |
f. To call to battle; spec. to summon to military service. Cf. call-up.
| [? 1684 in Roxburghe Ballads (1897) VIII. 453 Come fill up my cup, come fill up my Can; come saddle my horse and call up my man.] 1827 Scott Bonnie Dundee in Lit. Gaz. 8 Dec. 786 Come saddle my horses and call up my men. 1857 Blackw. Mag. LXXXII. 281/2 The landwehr of the first band are liable..in the event of war, to be called up. 1899 Atteridge Wars of Nineties 550/2 Thus Japan had an army of nearly 70,000 men on a peace footing, which by calling up the reserves could be expanded into a war force of more than a quarter of a million. 1914 Eng. Rev. Sept. 258 We saw young Belgians crowded in trains en route for the front, men who were ‘called up’ against the enemy. |
g. To summon up (summon v. 7).
| 1889 Illustrations, a Pict. Rev. 143 Calling up whatever remnants of valour were left to me,..I advanced. |
h. To summon (a person) on the telephone.
| 1898 [implied in caller-up]. 1900 [see phone n.2 and v.] a 1910 ‘O. Henry’ Strictly Business (1917) ii. 29 Kelley went to the nearest telephone booth and called up M{supc}Crary's café. 1921 G. B. Shaw Back to Methuselah iii. 137 Engaged! Who is she calling up now? |
Add: [I.] [3.] c. Square-dancing, etc. To announce to the dancers (the next figure or set of steps) by chanting or shouting rhythmically. Cf. *call n. 6 m. Freq. const. out.
| 1832 F. Trollope Dom. Manners Amer. I. 215 They call their dances cotillions instead of quadrilles, and the figures are called from the orchestra in English. 1860 Dickens Uncommercial Traveller in All Year Round 10 Mar. 464/2 ‘Tak' yah pard'ers, jebblem, for 'um QUAD-rill’... As master of the ceremonies, he called all the figures. 1909 A. D. Cameron New North xviii. 319 It's hard to call it out without the fiddle. When yer playin' you just spit it out—the words come to you. 1950 Recreation Nov. 319/1 They are not satisfied with calling one figure, or even four, but yell out twelve... No caller can call these quick changes smoothly. |
[4.] o. Computing. To cause (a subroutine or procedure) to be executed; to activate or invoke (a program). Formerly const. in.
| 1951 M. V. Wilkes et al. Preparation of Programs for Electronic Digital Computer i. iv. 34 There are in the library a number of subroutines which, when called in, execute series of operations according to sets of parameters in the store. 1953 Proc. I.R.E. XLI. 1252/1 An ‘interpretive’ routine then decodes the input information and calls the subroutines into play as required. 1962 F. L. Westwater Teach Yourself Electronic Computers ix. 143 A special routine..used the code number to call in the required subroutine. 1968 D. E. Knuth Art of Computer Programming I. i. 186 If the extra time for calling a subroutine is small compared to the total execution time for that subroutine [etc.]. 1978 Sci. Amer. Oct. 73/2 (Advt.), Subprograms can be written in assembly language and called in BASIC programs, resulting in as much as a 100-fold increase in execution speed. 1984 Personal Software Winter 12/1 Otherwise PSET is called each time you change character. |
[IV.] [29.] [ call in]. e. Computing. (See sense *4 o above.)
▸ trans. N. Amer. Sport. a. orig. Baseball. Of an official: to end (a match) early, typically because of bad weather. Freq. in pass.
| 1865 N.Y. Times 23 Aug. 3/2 The rain began falling at the close of the fifth innings, and when the sixth terminated, the game was called. 1889 Cent. Mag. Oct. 835/1 If the rain then continues for a half-hour he ‘calls’ the game, and if five complete innings or over have been played it stands as a game, otherwise not. 1941R. Riskin Meet John Doe in Six Screenplays (1997) 630 Don't wait till the game is called on account of darkness! 2004 Washington Post (Electronic ed.) 16 Apr. d4 Chantilly led by one goal with less than six minutes left when the officials called the game because of poor weather conditions. |
b. Of an official: to rule or declare a penalty on (an incident in play), to impose (a penalty); to officiate at (a match, etc.).
| 1887 N.Y. Times 11 Oct. 2/5 Two umpires officiated—Gaffrey calling strikes and Kelley base decisions on the Browns and then changing positions when Detroit was at bat. 1914 Gaz. & Bull. (Williamsport, Pa.) 23 Feb. 8/3 The referee called 26 fouls on the Williamsport boys. 1959 Tri-City Herald (Paso, Washington) 8 Nov. 15/4 A burly high school football player slugged an umpire after the official called a penalty during a game Friday night. 1990 R. Olver Making Champions iii. v. 224 [The referee is] not calling anything they do, calling everything against us. 2005 N.Y. Times (Electronic ed.) 6 May d4 We don't make excuses, we lost the game... The game was called fairly, pretty much, and that's the way it is. |
c. Chiefly Amer. Football and Baseball. To instruct a player or team to execute (a particular manoeuvre, play, etc.); to do this throughout (a match, etc.).
| 1909 Washington Post 15 Nov. 3/5 Before calling the plays Todd consulted the backs. 1920 Clearfield (Pa.) Progress 26 Oct. 1/5 Their quarterback called a punt formation as usual, which proved to be a trick play through our line. 1964 News Jrnl. (Mansfield, Ohio) 12 Nov. 39/1 He connected on nine of 12 passes for 104 yards and called a good game that sent Falcon backs charging through the Big Green line. 1987 S. Fiffer How to watch Baseball ii. 29 There are days when I'll start to wind up before the catcher has even given me the sign because I know he's gonna call what I want to throw. 2002 Observer Nov. 59/2 Basically, you get to play at being an NFL head coach, calling offensive and defensive plays. |
▸ to call for—— v. intr. N. Amer. To indicate or anticipate on the basis of present conditions or trends; to predict.
| 1895 N.Y. Times 14 Dec. 3/2 It is snowing all around us, and if we have no snow, it will be peculiar. The conditions are about as they were yesterday, and call for snow. 1930 Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune 5 Aug. 8/2 Today's official forecast calls for partly cloudy weather tonight and Wednesday with possible local showers Wednesday. 1967 H. S. Thompson Hell's Angels (1996) 108 Judging from all the publicity, the most optimistic forecast called for drunken brawling and property damage, civic fear, and possible injury at any moment. 1978 MERIP Rep. No. 71. 16/1 The presently accepted forecast calls for a doubling of the population within 40 years. 2002 Science 26 July 497/2 ‘A lot of us felt they were too quick’ to call for an El Niño, says meteorologist Anthony Barnston. |
▸ colloq. (orig. U.S.). don't call us, we'll call you and variants: further approaches would be unwelcome or futile; there is no need to pursue your application or enquiry any further. Also shortened as don't call us.
Prob. introduced as a clichéd way of dismissing unsuccessful candidates at theatrical auditions (cf. quot. 1952).
| 1948 Lima (Ohio) News 3 Mar. 11/6 The Czechs now get a solid hour of the American viewpoint [on the radio]..that leaves 23 for Moscow monologs. They have been promised time of their own when something opens up. The way Stalin left it was ‘don't call us{ddd} we'll call you’. 1952 East Liverpool (Ohio) Rev. 29 Oct. 12/2 Hollywood has a word—or two—for it... Everyone has heard the brushoff line: ‘Don't call us. We'll call you.’ 1959 ‘B. Wilder’ & I. A. L. Diamond Some like it Hot (film script) 137 First Henchman. Room 413—we'll be in touch. Jerry (coyly) Don't call us—we'll call you. 1971 Evening Standard 19 Aug. 3/4 The Labour Exchange never seems to have a job and the ones you do manage to go after almost always say ‘don't call us, we'll call you’. 1987 M. Bolton Testing v. 70 Daintry said he'll keep us informed... I think he meant don't call us, we'll call you. 1993 F. Cooper I believe in Angels (BNC) 80 I'd conjured up a rather camp Major Sager... I felt like a jaded casting director as I banished him to the wastepaper bin. Don't call us, old chap. 2000 Calgary Sun (Electronic ed.) 22 Sept. Endorsement contracts hinge on where you finish. Gold is bonanza, silver pretty good, bronze not bad. Fourth place? Don't call us, we'll call you. |
▸ colloq. (usu. humorous). it's called——: (as an ironic rejoinder, designed to bring into salutary focus some simple or obvious point that has gone unrecognized) ‘what we're really talking about is——’, ‘think of it as——’, ‘you must realize, it's——’.
| 1965 A. R. Ammons Tape for Turn of Year 109 Don't get in any trouble..Work your way up through a corporation... Sheez! It's called ‘coming to one's senses’. 1975P. Larkin Let. 9 Jan. in Sel. Lett. (1992) 519 You remember my saying to my loaf-haired sec. years ago, when homoism became legal, that I hoped they'd get around now to making heteroism legal—‘But they have,’ she said, ‘haven't you heard? It's called marriage.’ 1988 J. McInerney Story of my Life ix. 148 And Dean's like, whoa! Alison, cool out, it's called kidding. 1994 J. Galloway Foreign Parts xii. 186 It's ok not to give yourself a hard time every so often. It's called relaxing, Cassie. 2001 Heat 27 Oct. 120/1 It's called being generous. What's more, you don't have to be cashed-up. |
▪ II. call, n.
(kɔːl)
Also 4–6 cal, calle, (8–9 Sc. ca, 9 Sc. and dial. caw, dial. cawal).
[f. prec. vb.]
1. a. A loud vocal utterance or speech, a shout, a cry; a loud vocal address or supplication.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 6790, I, for-soth sall here þair call. Ibid. 1377 An o þaim..Be-for ihesus þar made his call. 1678 Bunyan Pilgr. i. 207 They gave but a call, and in came their Master. 1704 Pope Past., Summer 83 But would you sing..The moving mountains hear the pow'rful call. 1822 New Month. Mag. V. 150 You are amused with the perpetual opening and shutting of box doors, and the aubible calls of ‘Mrs. So and so's places’. |
b. spec. The reading aloud of a roll or list of names; a roll-call: see call v. 33 b.
| 1723 Bp. Nicolson in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. 446 The Commons were very warm yesterday: and their Debates ended in a Call of their Members. 1780 Burke Corr. (1844) II. 318, I think to make my motion as soon as possible after the call of the House. a 1832 Mackintosh Revol. 1688 Wks. 1846 II. 51 The attendance was partly caused by a call of the House..On the call..it appeared that forty were either minors, abroad, or confined by sickness. |
c. A word or name called; a thing thus mentioned or indicated.
| 1801 Strutt Sports & Past. iv. ii. 296 The other calls at pleasure head or tail; if his call lies uppermost..he wins. |
d. A summons or communication by telephone; a telephone conversation. (See also attrib. uses.)
| 1878 Design & Work IV. 306/3 Apparatus..to enable the sound of the voice while singing to be heard all over a room, and which I use as a ‘call’, instead of an electric bell. 1879 G. B. Prescott Speaking Telephone i. 23 It being necessary to keep the vibratory bells at each station in circuits, in order that the calls may be heard. 1882 J. E. K. The Telephone 19 The number of calls made upon the Exchange clerks. 1884 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 199/1 Before we follow the series of operations forming a complete call, let us examine the system of telephones used in the Broadway Office. This..allows these batteries to be used for the calls to the subscribers by means of ordinary electric bells. 1899 Post Office Guide July 533 This deposit is refunded if the call is not extended. 1944 ‘N. Shute’ Pastoral ii. 22 Give me twopence for the call, and I'll give him a tinkle in the morning. 1953 R. Lehmann Echoing Grove 290 There was a call for you about a quarter of an hour ago. From London. |
2. The cry of an animal, esp. of a bird.
| 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. 62 The Hen by her common call, gives no meat to her Chickens. 1773 Barrington in Phil. Trans. LXIII. 250 The call of a bird, is that sound which it is able to make, when about a month old. 1833 Chamb. Jrnl. II. 148 They can hear the call of their calves. 1842 Tennyson Locksley Hall 171 They shall..Whistle back the parrot's call. 1879 Jefferies Wild Life in S.C. 301 Neither redwing nor fieldfare sings during the winter; they of course have their ‘call’ and cry of alarm. |
3. a. A particular cry or sound used to attract or decoy birds, etc.
| 1530 Palsgr. 202/2 Call for quaylles, croquaillet. 1590 Lodge Euphues' Gold. Leg. (1887) 98 Aliena smiled to see how Ganymede flew to the fist without any call. 1596 Raleigh Disc. Guiana (1887) 76 The deer came..as if they had been used to a Keepers call. 1851 Illust. Lond. News 15 Feb. 127 The birds after answering to the call..at last darted off again. |
b. A small instrument or whistle to attract birds, etc., by imitating their note.
| 1654 Bate Myst. Nature & Art 73 They are known among some Shopkeepers by the name of Cals; and there are long white boxes of them, which are transported hither from France. 1704 Worlidge Dict. Rust. et Urb. s.v. Calls, As for the Artificial Calls..they are best made of Box and Walnut Tree, or such hard Woods. 1708 Kersey s.v., Among Fowlers, Calls are arteficial Pipes, made to catch Quails, etc. 1753 Chambers Cycl. Supp. s.v., Different birds require different calls; but most of them are composed of a pipe or reed, with a little leathern bag, somewhat in the form of a bellows. |
† c. A decoy-bird. lit. and fig. Obs.
| 1595 Shakes. John iii. iv. 174 They would be as a Call To traine ten thousand English to their side. 1624 Massinger Parl. Love iv. iii, This fellow has a pimp's face, And looks as if he were her call, her fetch. 1725 Bradley Fam. Dict. s.v. Lark, Those live Birds tyed to the Packthreads are nam'd Calls. |
4. Hunting. A strain or ‘lesson’ blown upon the horn to cheer and encourage the hounds.
| 1674 N. Cox Gentl. Recreat. i. (1706) 18 The Call, a Lesson blowed on the Horn to comfort the Hounds. 1721 in Bailey. |
5. a. The act of calling at a door or place on the way: hence, house of call. b. A short and usually formal visit: to make, pay, receive, a call.
| 1783 Cowper Task i. 244 Dependant on the baker's punctual call. 1816 Parody in Times 25 Jan., Enumerate the princapal houses of call in..London. 1862 Trollope Orley F. xiv, She had..made a morning call on Martha Biggs. 1875 B. Taylor Faust I. v. 90 We passed without a call to day. 1884 Harper's Mag. Sept. 493/2 The chief interest of Queenstown is as a port of call. |
6. a. Summons, invitation, bidding. Also fig.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 3022 Mete and drinc he gaue þam all þat wald cum al til his call. 1592 Shakes. Ven. & Ad. 849 Tapsters answering every call. 1667 Milton P.L. i. 378 Who first, who last..At thir great Emperors call..Came singly where he stood. 1752 Johnson Rambl. No. 204 ¶5 His call was readily obeyed. 1833 H. Martineau Briery Cr. iv. 92 A call to devotion. 1836 Dickens Sk. Boz (C.D. ed.) 71 The bell rings and the orchestra in acknowledgment of the call play three distinct chords. 1875 Emerson Lett. & Soc. Aims, Eloquence Wks. (Bohn) III. 193 Men who lose their talents, their wit..at any sudden call. |
† b. A summons to answer to a charge; accusation, impeachment. Obs.
| c 1340 Cursor M. 19138 (Fairf.) Þai gedder bad bring forþ þe apostles alle for til ansquare to þaire calle. |
c. A summons by applause for a speaker, actor, etc., to appear before an audience. Cf. call v. 22 b.
| 1825 News 4 Sept. 286/1 Mr. Kean came forward, and addressed the audience... ‘It is impossible to withstand so gratifying a call.’ 1887 Punch 12 Mar. 125/1 The enthusiastic..call that greeted him on the conclusion of his excellent work. 1921 ‘Ian Hay’ Willing Horse viii. 129 Seven legitimate calls after the first act. |
d. A summons or signal sounded upon a bugle, trumpet, etc.; also fig.
| 1581 Styward Mart. Discip. i. 18 In sounding a march, a cal, y⊇ charge..y⊇ retrait. 1677 Milton P.L. vii. 295 Armies at the call Of Trumpet..Troop to thir Standard. 1713 Lond. Gaz. No. 5135/3 The Drums beating a Call. 1875 B. Taylor Faust II. iv. iii. 269 The first clear call of bells is swept across the land. |
e. concr. A whistle, or other instrument, on which such a call is sounded.
| 1769 Falconer Dict. Marine (1789) The call can be sounded to various strains, each..appropriated to some particular exercise. 1818 Scott Br. Lamm. iv, She whistled on a small silver call which hung around her neck. |
f. call to the bar: admission to the status of barrister; see bar n.1 24, barrister. Also † call of serjeants (obs.).
| a 1626 Bacon (J.) Upon the sixteenth was held the serjeants feast at Ely place, there being nine serjeants of that call. 1698 Congreve Way of W. iii. xv, In the country where great lubberly brothers slabber and kiss one another when they meet like a call of serjeants. 1868 M. Pattison Academ. Org. v. 184 There shall be examinations and degrees required for the call to the Bar. 1878 R. H. Hutton Scott ii. 27 The day of his call to the bar. |
g. spec. An invitation to undertake the office and duties of pastor of a church.
| 1666 Life J. Livingstone in Sel. Biogr. (1845) I. 136, I got ane joynt call of the parish and presbytery and the old minister and my Lord Tarphichen patron of the church..to be minister there. a 1704 T. Brown 2 Oxf. Scholars (1730) I. 2, I shall receive a call to be a Pastor or Holder⁓forth in some Congregation or other. 1755 Wesley Wks. (1872) XIII. 208 Both an inward and an outward call are requisite. 1818 Scott Hrt. Midl. xxxix, [The] presbyterians who had united in a harmonious call to Reuben Butler to be their spiritual guide. 1859 J. Cunningham Ch. Hist. Scotl. II. x. 422. |
h. A notification, either verbal or written, summoning theatrical, etc., performers to attend (at a rehearsal or during a performance). Cf. call v. 4 n.
| 1780 G. Colman Manager in Distress 22 They were all drest, sitting ready for the call in the Green Room. 1876 Jennie of ‘The Princess’ 219 You are cast for Player Queen. Call is for eleven this morning. 1885 G. R. Sims Mustard & Cr. in Referee 16 Feb., A ‘call’ is frequently made out for ‘supers and ladies and gentlemen’ when the principals are not required. 1933 P. Godfrey Back-Stage i. 16 The call-boy leaves the stage to cry: ‘Overture beginners.’..As the call reaches them they take one last approving glance at their reflections. Ibid. 17 Each ‘call’ is plainly marked in the prompt book sufficiently ahead of the actual entrance to allow the actor concerned to receive an individual visit from the call-boy. 1955 Times 19 Aug. 4/1 The schedule for to-morrow's work arrived with all its facts and figures about the crew call, the set, [etc.]. |
i. Whist. A ‘call for honours’ (see call v. 1 e); also, a sign given to a partner by a special kind of play that he is to lead trumps (cf. call v. 22 d). In poker (orig. U.S.), ‘a demand for a show-down; the show-down itself’ (Cent. Dict., 1889); in Bridge, a bid (bid n. 2), pass, double, or redouble.
| 1850 ‘M. Tensas’ Louisiana Swamp Doctor 123 A gambler who has staked his whole pile, and found at the call that he has been bluffing up against a greenhorn with ‘three white aces’. 1853 J. G. Baldwin Flush Times Alabama 8 A negro ante and twenty on the call, was moderate playing. 1885 Encycl. Brit. XIX. 283/1 When all the stakes are thus equal, it becomes a call. 1887 Temple-bar Mag. Apr. 551 My partner..will lead trumps on the first opportunity in obedience to my ‘call’. 1923 Harmsworth's Househ. Encycl. I. 531/1 Doubling..reopens the bidding and gives each player the chance of a fresh call. 1928 A. Waugh Nor many Waters ii. 74 The man on my right suddenly cut into the bidding. ‘Well, it's my call,’ he said. ‘Three spades.’ |
j. Amer. Land Law. ‘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’ (Webster 1864).
k. Cricket. A shouted direction by a batsman to his partner either to run or to remain in his crease.
| 1854 J. Pycroft Cricket Field (ed. 2) x. 212 Let men run by some call; mere beckoning..leads to fatal errors... ‘Yes’, ‘no’, or ‘run’, ‘stop’ are the words. 1898 G. Giffen With Bat & Ball viii. 103 Murdoch..was run out through a bad call of Tom Garrett's. 1955 Times 15 July 3/3 Fellows Smith failed to scramble home after being sent back for a ridiculous call. |
l. A signification of impending death; spec. in phr. to get one's (or the) call, to die, be about to die. dial.
| 1884 D. Grant Lays & Legends 172 His wife, wi' his grainin' sae weary, Was fain to have seen him awa'... Hersel' was the first gat the ca'. 1889 Tennyson Crossing the Bar in Compl. Wks. (1896) 894/1 Sunset and evening star, And one clear call for me! 1892 C. M. Yonge Old Woman's Outlook ii. 39 There came a little robin about the door. We knowed it was a call, and we thought it must be for granfer; so we put 'im to bed. 1915 J. Buchan Salute to Adv. xxiii. 328 His breath laboured, and there was pain in his eyes. ‘I've got my call,’ he said faintly. |
7. a. Demand, requisition, claim.
| a 1300 Cursor M. 8705 Þe barne atte dede is nauþer of thayme wille haue þer-til cal ne clayme. 1711 Steele Spect. No. 206 ¶1 There is a perpetual call upon mankind to value and esteem those who set a moderate price on their own merit. 1751 Johnson Rambl. No. 141 ¶8 The call for novelty is never satisfied. 1832 A. Fonblanque Engl. under 7 Administ. II. 268 The Duke of Newcastle's call upon the anti-reformers to take up arms against the people. 1832 Athenæum No. 219. 19 The call of these times for cheap reprints. 1870 Bryant Iliad I. ix. 269 The calls of thirst And hunger having ceased. |
b. A need to defecate or urinate; freq. in phr. call of nature. Colloq. phr. to pay a call, to go to the lavatory.
| 1761 Sterne Tr. Shandy IV. 43 A city..who neither eat, or drank,..or hearkned to the calls either of religion or nature for seven and twenty days. 1852 in Tailor & Cutter (1966) 14 Oct. 111/1 The calls of Nature are permitted and Clerical Staff may use the garden below the second gate. 1858 G. Rawlinson tr. Herodotus's Hist. I. cxxxiii. 274 To vomit or obey natural calls in the presence of another, is forbidden among them. 1926 Galsworthy Escape i. i, Warder... Where's your mate? Fellow Convict. 'Ad a call, sir... Went over to that wall. 1926 A. Huxley Two or Three Graces 249 He would suggest dropping in at the Monico, pretext a call of nature. 1939 F. Thompson Lark Rise 56 A type of complaint that could always be countered by pleading, ‘Call o' Nature, please, sir.’ 1959 ‘O. Mills’ Stairway to Murder xv. 155 He'd had quite a bit of beer, and I'd an idea he might have to get up and pay a call. 1961 J. McCabe Laurel & Hardy (1962) i. 33 On the way there we became aware of Nature's urgent call. |
8. a. A requirement of duty; a duty, need, occasion, right.
| a 1674 Clarendon Hist. Reb. (1704) III. xiv. 377 He assured them..‘that they had a very lawful Call to take upon them the supreme Authority of the Nation’. 1719 De Foe Crusoe (1858) 243 What call, what occasion, much less what necessity I was in, to go. 1779 J. Moore View Soc. Fr. (1789) I. xvi. 124 There was no Call for his interfering in the business. 1858 Thackeray Virgin. xxii, I don't know what call she had to blush so when she made her curtsey. |
† b. Occasion or need to go; an errand. Obs.
| 1791 Smeaton Edystone L. §324 Having a call to St. Ives in Cornwall. Ibid. §325 Having a second call into Cornwall. |
9. A divine, spiritual, or sacred appointment, or prompting, to a special service or office. See call v. 6.
| 1650 Ministers New Eng. in Ellis Orig. Lett. ii. ccc, We came by a call of God to serve him here. 1755 Mem. Capt. P. Drake I. xi. 79 Proposals..to quit the World, and embrace that Course of Life, to which I told him I had no Call. 1790 Mrs. Fletcher in H. Moore Life (1817) II. vi. 121, I feel a call from the Lord to give my last testimony to his faithfulness. 1862 Stanley Jew. Ch. (1877) I. xix. 368 It was a ‘call’..or inward movement of the Divine Spirit through the conscience. a 1876 J. H. Newman Hist. Sk. I. iv. i. 344. |
† 10. Calling, occupation, vocation. Obs.
| 1548 Geste Pr. Masse 72 We must al be busely occupied..eche man in his call accordingly. 1622 Fletcher Begg. Bush ii. i, Which lives Uprightest in his call. 1780 Mrs. Fletcher in H. Moore Life (1817) I. iii. 161 Spending your time thus, for the bodies of the people. If that is your call, it is a mean call! |
11. Comm. a. A demand for the payment of money; esp. a notice to a subscriber to pay up a portion of capital subscribed. Also attrib.
| 1709 Lond. Gaz. No. 4554/4 That..Two per Cent. on the Adventurers Stock be received in part of the said two Calls. 1776 Adam Smith W.N. I. ii. ii. 319 A call of fifteen per cent. 1847 C. G. Addison Contracts i. i. §2 The directors must provide funds by making calls on the shareholders. |
b. On the Stock Exchange.
| a 1860 C. Fenn Eng. & For. Funds (1883) 127 A ‘Call’ is an option of claiming stock at a certain time, the price and date being fixed at the time the option-money is given. |
12. dial. Scolding, abuse. Cf. call v. 12.
13. Sc. (now in form ca', caw.) Driving. In various applications: as, hard and forced respiration; a place where cattle are driven, a cow-gang; a pass or defile between hills.
| 1765 Ogilvy & Nairns Trial 83 (Jam.) There was a severe heaving at his breast, and a strong caw, and he cried to keep open the windows to give him breath. 1768 Ross Helenore 22 (Jam.) In the ca, nor cow nor ewe did spare. 1795 Statist. Acc. Scotl. XVI. 168 (Jam.) By..the heights of Lead-na-bea-kach, until you arrive at the Ca (i.e. the slap or pass) of that hill. 1876 Robinson Mid-Yorksh. Gloss. (E.D.S.) s.v. Caw. |
14. Phrases. a. with preps., as at call: at command, ready to answer a call or summons; immediately available; within call: within hearing or reach of a summons; hence, within call of (a place): near to (it); within call of (a person): fig. subject to (his) authority.
| 1594 Hooker Eccl. Pol. Pref. (J.) Always at the call..of a number of mean persons. 1632 Massinger & Field Fatal Dow. iii. i, A true friend at a call. 1668 Child Disc. Trade (1698) 227 It is our interest..not only to have many seamen, but to have them..within call in time of Danger. 1697 W. Dampier Voy. (1698) I. xx. 542 Those that subscribed to be at all calls. 1709 Steele Tatler No. 182 ¶6 All the great Beauties we have left in Town, or within Call of it, will be present. 1830 Tennyson Dream Fair Women 85, I saw a lady within call. 1885 Manch. Exam. 20 July 5/5 An unconscious desire to possess gold at call. |
b. to have the call: to be in chief or greatest demand; to be the favourite: in Long Whist, to be entitled to ‘call honours’.
| 1840 Fraser's Mag. XXII. 674 Youth has the call. 1863 Pardon Hoyle's Games 18 The partners having eight points are said to have the call. 1867 F. Francis Angling i. (1880) 31 Baited wheat has the call. a 1888 Newspaper. Heifers had the call of the market at {pstlg}17 to {pstlg}20 each. |
15. Comb., as call-bell, a bell for summoning attendance; a small stationary hand-bell for that purpose; spec. an electric bell giving the alarm at a fire-station, etc.; † call-belt, a belt for supporting a bugle or similar instrument; call-bird, (a) a decoy bird for attracting others by its note; (b) transf., a lure used by tradesmen to promote sales; call-board Theatr., a notice board; † call-book, a muster-roll; call-box, a telephone-booth; call-boy, a youth employed (a) (in a theatre) to attend upon the prompter, and call the actors when required on the stage; (b) (on a steamer) to transmit the captain's orders to the engineer; (c) (in a hotel) to answer the bells; (d) a messenger boy, spec. = call-man; (e) a device for transmitting messages and orders; (f) [after call-girl] a young male prostitute, spec. one who makes appointments by telephone; call-button, a push-button or other device for ringing a call-bell or alarm; call-change, a method of bell-ringing in which the ringers follow oral or written instructions; call-day, in the Inns of Court, the day appointed in each term for the ceremony of calling students to the bar; see also quot. 1720; call-disc, a disc indicating the provenance of a telephone call-signal; call-down U.S., a scathing rebuke, an abusive tirade (cf. call v. 27 e); call-duck, a decoy duck; call-girl (orig. U.S.), a prostitute who makes appointments by telephone; also attrib.; call-house U.S., a brothel; spec. a house occupied or used by call-girls; call-letter, a letter forming part of a call-sign; call-loan, a loan to be repaid at call; call-man, a man who calls up the members of a fire-brigade for duty; call-money, money at call; call-night, the night on which students of law are called to the bar; call-note, the note used by a bird or other animal in calling to its mate; call number (orig. U.S.), the press-mark or shelf-mark of a book; call-off, a cause of diversion or distraction; call-office, (a) a telephone office or central station where the call signals are received and where the connections necessary to intercommunication are made; (b) = call-box; call-on (see quot. 1958); also attrib.; call-out, the act of calling out (forces, etc.) (see call v. 32 b); call-over = call n. 1 b; (also) in betting parlance, a calling over or reading aloud of a list of prices; call-rocket, a signal rocket; call-room, (a) = call-box; (b) U.S., the room in a Stock Exchange where calls are announced; call-sheet Theatr. and Cinemat. (see quot. 1959); call-sign, a conventional sign used to indicate the identity of the sender of a wireless message, a transmitting station, etc.; call signal, (a) a signal for calling up on the telephone; (b) = call-sign; call slip U.S., the slip on which a reader or borrower in a library enters details of the book or books required.
| 1872 Ellacombe Bells of Ch. iv. 53 A *call-bell to the Divine services. 1879 G. B. Prescott Sp. Telephone 375 The introduction of call bells or alarms followed..with the early introduction of the electric telegraph. 1883 Cassell's Fam. Mag. Dec. 59/2 The alarms enable the [fire-]brigade to leave the station within a minute after the call-bell rings. |
| 1686 Lond. Gaz. No. 2182/4 He had..an embroidered Buff *Call Belt, and an Agat-handled Sword. |
| 1773 Barrington in Phil. Trans. LXIV. 263 The fascinating power of their *call-birds. 1901 Farm, Field & Fireside 13 Dec. 358/1 Frequently a man buys two or three couples of English spring chickens, and then has a case of eighty ‘Russians’ sent in. He uses the English as ‘call birds’ on his shop front and those few Surreys are the means of disposing of his whole case of Russians. 1958 Observer 5 Jan. 7/4 Certain shops are studying..women's response to the ‘call-bird’. That is the name they give to extraordinary bargains placed in the windows as lures for the sales-minded. |
| 1886 J. B. Howe Cosmopolitan Actor 134, I saw the cast of ‘Colleen Bawn’ still on the *call-board. 1901 C. Morris Life on Stage xxxiii. 277 On the wall..there hung that shallow, glass-covered frame or cabinet called, variously, ‘the call-board’, the ‘call-case’, or even the ‘call-box’. |
| 1663 Pepys Diary 15 Jan., To examine the proof of our new way of the *call-bookes. 1803 Naval Chron. XV. 57 Are copies of the muster or call book sent to the Navy Board? |
| 1885 Electrician 13 Nov. 10/2 At intervals along the streets..we shall have ‘*call-boxes’, by means of which conversation, by telephone, may be carried on with any desired person. 1893 Cassell's Fam. Mag. Apr. 338/2 Thus it was that I first became introduced to the call-box system. 1951 ‘N. Shute’ Round Bend 26 Her dad went down the road to the call-box and telephoned the police. |
| 1794 Malone Shaks. I. 88 note, His first office in the theatre was that of *Call-boy. 1848 Thackeray Van. Fair li. 453 The gigantic footmen..were billeted off in the neighbouring public-houses, whence, when they were wanted, call-boys summoned them. 1863 Sala Qualk the Circumn. 65 A Woolwich steamboat..passengers and crew—down to the very call-boy. 1868 Cassell's Mag. 15 Aug. 256/1 Some of our great iron-clads have been furnished with electrical call-boys. 1887 16th Ann. Rep. Oxf. Volunteer Fire Brigade 9 The improved method of calling by electric bells, instead of by call boys. 1972 B. Rodgers Queens' Vernacular 111 Hustlers fall into two categories: the street variety and models (call boys). 1981 Tuscaloosa (Alabama) News 26 Nov. 9/5 The report quoted the unidentified ‘call boy’ as saying, ‘Information is being collected, being systematically collected, being systematically filtered to other places, not just the Soviets either.’ |
| 1878 Telegr. Jrnl. VI. 113/2 When the attention of either station has been called on its bells by pressing the *call-button. 1966 J. Chamier Cannonball vi. 52, I..pressed the call button for the lift. |
| 1872 Ellacombe Bells of Ch. iii. 35 The ringing ‘rounds’, and ‘*call-changes’ was a good deal cultivated, a very long time before the birth of half-pull change-ringing. 1872 J. T. Fowler Bells, Sacristy II. 137 When some variation..is rung again and again, then another variation, and so on, it is ringing ‘call-changes’, or ‘set-changes’. 1880 Grove Dict. Mus. I. 297/2 Ringers are said to be ringing call changes when the conductor calls to each man to tell him after which bell he is to ring. |
| 1720 Stow's Surv. (ed. Strype 1754) II. v. xxvii. 469/2 The Lord Mayor and Court of Aldermen do meet at Guildhall, and sit in the orphan's Court once in every year to hear the names of all securities called over; wherefore that day is called *Call-day. 1886 Whitaker's Almanack 9 Inns of Court Law (Dining) Terms—Hilary begins 11 January, ends 1 February; Call Day, 26 January. |
| 1884 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 124/2 The circles in the figure are the little windows at which the *call-disc makes its appearance. |
| 1901 ‘H. McHugh’ John Henry i. 11 The four-flush *call-down makes you back-pedal. 1917 Wodehouse Man with Two Left Feet 121 The feller that tries to get gay with me is going to get a call-down that'll make him holler for his winter overcoat. |
| 1656 Earl of Monmouth Advt. fr. Parnass. 186 The true de quois, or *call-ducks. |
| 1940 in Amer. Speech (1942) XVII. 204/1 *Call Girls Die Young. 1951 E. Kefauver Crime in America (1952) xvii. 193 The hotel..has shown up in some of the call-girl operations. 1957 Economist 7 Sept. 736/2 If the streets are cleared, however, there is certain to be an extension of prostitution off them—a growth of the ‘call-girl’ system. |
| 1929 W. R. Burnett Little Caesar vii. v. 270 Sometimes at night he would go to one of the *call-houses on a nearby street and spend a couple of hours with one of the women. 1936 J. Dos Passos Big Money 340 It wasn't a hotel or a callhouse. a 1940 F. Scott Fitzgerald Last Tycoon (1949) v. 106 She went to what you call call-houses. |
| 1913 Year-bk. Wireless Telegr. 286 Combinations of ‘*call-letters’ which are in turn allotted to ship and land stations. |
| 1852 N.Y. Wkly. Tribune 10 Apr. 8/4 The rates are 4 {at} 4½ on Government Stocks, 5 {at} 6 on general *call loans. 1882 Pall Mall G. 7 June 5/2 Recourse had more and more to ‘call’ loans. |
| 1905 Westm. Gaz. 19 Apr. 8/1 When instructions were sent to *call-man Hills to order out all the fogmen. |
| 1885 Daily News 12 Feb. 7/2 Most of the banks affecting to consider *call money as the same thing [with cash on hand]. |
| 1883 St. James's Gaz. 17 Nov., In the sister Inns of Lincoln and Gray, ‘*Call Night’, like Grand Night, has its own peculiar and appropriate ceremonial. |
| 1833 Proc. Berw. Nat. Club I. No. 1. 22 The mellow *call-note of the grey linnet was..heard. 1883 Century Mag. Aug. 484/1 The European partridge and Bob White differ in their call-notes. |
| 1876 Public Libraries U.S. (Bureau of Educ.) I. 626 Determining the character of any book simply from its *call number. 1964 N. R. Ker Medieval Libraries (ed. 2) 225 No entry follows the call number of the book if the inscription is in the common ex dono or dedit form. |
| 1883 J. Parker Apost. Life II. 186 No..*call-off from prolonged and arduous enquiry into profound and useful subjects. |
| 1885 Electrician XIV. 102/1 Giving increased facilities to the public in the shape of ‘*call’ offices. 1895 Daily News 13 Sept. 5/3 The charge for conversations..within a distance of 25 kilometres from the call-office..has so far been 5d. 1899 Post Office Guide July 533 The following additional charges..also apply to conversations between call offices. |
| 1955 Times 28 June 8/3 There was a steady trickle of men arriving for the *call-on [at the docks]. Ibid. 4 July 8/2 It was decided to hold another meeting..before the normal docks call-on time to-day. 1958 Ibid. 7 Mar. 7/1 Dockers..having to attend a ‘call-on’ twice a day... They present themselves for work at 7.45 a.m. and again at 12.45 p.m. |
| 1887 Times (Weekly ed.) 7 Oct. 17/1 The *call-out of the Russian reserves. |
| 1887 Charity Organ. Rev. June 245 A Saturday *call-over at school. 1927 Daily Tel. 8 Mar. 15/1 That all such bets transacted at the club's ‘calls-over’ would be free of tax to the backer. |
| 1882 J. E. K. The Telephone 33 *Call-rooms have been established in different parts of London, in which are placed telephones connected with the Exchanges. 1886 Harper's Mag. July 213/1 The Call Room daily presents an impressive spectacle of the traffic in grain. |
| 1955 Times 25 Aug. 12/4 The rehearsal *call-sheet lists animals side by side with ladies and gentlemen of the chorus. 1959 W. S. Sharps Dict. Cinemat. 82/2 Call sheet, the itemised schedule of calls for performers and production personnel. |
| 1919 Times (weekly ed.) 17 Jan., She signalled the letters of her ‘*call-sign’ and our wireless picked up her message. 1921 Glasgow Herald 4 Feb. 9 Shortly after two o'clock she was called, but did not answer her call-sign. |
| 1884 Routledge's Every Boy's Ann. 120/2 This system can make a Bell telephone..speak loud enough to be heard throughout a room; and it comprises besides a *call-signal within itself. 1912 in Year-bk. Wireless Telegr. (1913) 52 The call signals must be differentiated from one another, and each one must consist of a group of three letters. |
| 1881 Amer. Library Assoc. Papers 4/1 All books are to be asked for on *call-slips made out from the catalog. |
Add: [6.] m. Square-dancing. A direction called to the dancers, announcing the next figure or set of steps. Cf. caller n. 1 e. orig. and chiefly U.S.
| 1851 Ball-Room Instructor 13 The words in small capitals, in the beginning of the lines, are the names of the figures called by the leader of the orchestra... To these calls all should pay particular attention. 1903 R. L. Richardson Colin of Ninth Concession ix. 57, I shall here present a few ‘calls’, as I remember hearing them from Goarden's lips at the famous dance that Dooley gave. 1952 Proc. Amer. Antiquarian Soc. LXVII. 81 The prompter could and eventually did sing the calls, weaving rude rhymes, and filling out the calls with comments on the individuals present. 1989 N.Y. Times 6 Aug. (Westchester Weekly section) 10/6 On Friday at 8 p.m. swing your partner to the square-dance calls of Slim Sterling and a live country-western band. |
▸ Sport. A decision or ruling made by an official in a sports contest; the spoken or gestured indication of such a decision. Freq. with qualifying word, as bad (good, etc.) call.
| 1874 Rugby Union Football Ann. 1874–5 39 Glasgow were again compelled to touch the ball down before the call of ‘No-side’. 1937 L. A. Godfree & M. B. T. Wakelam Lawn Tennis xi. 165 The only call..is ‘Out’. 1969 New Yorker 14 June 47/1 You must expect four or five bad calls a match... A match can be won or lost on a bad call. 1997 Bloomington (Indiana) Herald-Times 18 Mar. b1/2 That was not such a good call there Mr. Referee. |
▸ good call orig. U.S. In non-sporting contexts: a decision, judgement, or idea; a guess or prediction. Freq. in good call (also as int., expressing approval, affirmation, or agreement).
Earliest in judgement call n. at judgement n. Additions
| 1972 Daily Tribune (Great Bend, Kansas) 31 May 2/5 If Steve had known it was going to break, we could have gotten everybody out... It was a bad judgment call. 1979 P. Smith Patti Smith Compl. (1999) 118, I told him as I had been told. He lit a cigarette and looked down. ‘It's your call,’ I said. ‘I'll back it.’ 1994 Sunday Times 6 Mar. ix. 16/5 With mega deals involving film, video, TV, cable and books, losses of several hundred million can accrue with a single bad call. 1996J. Whedon Welcome to Hellmouth in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Script Bk.: Season 1 (2000) I. 20 Giles. Miss Summers. Buffy. Good call. I guess I'm the only new kid. 2002 New Yorker 23 Sept. 61/1, I would love to see the release work, but, because of who Keiko is..I don't think it will. I was really sad when they said he was going, but it wasn't my call. |
▸ call barring n. chiefly Brit. a telephone service which restricts usage of a particular telephone line by preventing the connection of calls made from or to specified numbers or dialling codes.
| 1982 Financial Times 16 Mar. 8/3 The features include itemised billing, abbreviated dialling, automatic alarm calls, call diversion, an indication that there is another call waiting, *call barring which prevents people ringing you, and three-party conference calls. 1995 Kay & Co. (Worcester) Catal. Autumn–Winter 664/2 Audioline payphone..Design for future coinage as the payphone can learn a new coin/token..Call barring for international and premium calls. 2002 Which? Sept. 27/1 When choosing, check whether you can keep any existing BT services you have. For example, not all will support BT's additional offers, such as ring back, call barring and call diversion. |
▸ call centre n. an office staffed and equipped to handle large numbers of telephone calls, using computer technology to assist in the management of calls, supply of information, etc.; esp. such an office providing the centralized customer contact and customer service functions of a large organization.
| 1983 Data Communications (Nexis) May 66 Each of these ‘*call centers’ is staffed with agents who work with Honeywell intelligent terminals, enabling them to quote rates and compute discounts given to large users. 1993 Sat. Night (Toronto) June 55/2 (advt.) The solution recommended by this team would be a computer-integrated call centre that combines the power of the computer with the flexibility of the telephone. Not only would the system distribute incoming calls evenly amongst the branches but all locations would have instant access to..customer accounts while answering calls. 1999 Stage 30 Sept. 32/1 (advt.) Try working in a call centre. Inbound and outbound telephone work with flexible hours for short, medium and long term contracts. |
▸ call diversion n. an instance of diverting a telephone call to a different line or number; a telephone service which allows incoming calls to be automatically diverted to a different line or number (cf. call forwarding n. at Additions).
| 1976 Coshocton (Ohio) Tribune 3 Dec. 1/7 He asked callers to ‘hold on’ through the *call diversion, and emphasized that the noises in no way were related to call taping or call tracing devices. 1980 Times 15 Apr. 18/4 Call diversion enables a subscriber to be ‘followed’ telephonically to another number, after the details have been keyed in by the subscriber concerned. 2004 Gold Coast (Austral.) Bull. (Nexis) 5 Feb. Customers will be offered free call diversion from their fixed line to another fixed or mobile service, irrespective of carrier. |
▸ call forwarding n. a telephone service which allows incoming calls to be transferred automatically to a different telephone line or number; cf. call diversion n. at Additions.
| 1963 Post-Standard (Syracuse, N.Y.) (Electronic text) 2 Feb., When the subscriber returns to his original telephone, *call forwarding can immediately be removed. 1998 What Cellphone Nov. 30/1 Training can be arranged..to show users how to use..network features such as call forwarding. |
▸ call return n. a telephone service which gives details of or automatically dials the number of the last incoming call.
| 1984 PR Newswire (Nexis) 13 Mar. CLASS features to be automatically available after PUC approval and requiring no additional customer equipment are: Selective Call Rejection; Customer Originated Trace; Automatic *Call Return; [etc.]. 2002 C. Newland Snakeskin ix. 109 Frowning, I started up the Audi and pulled away with the phone tucked under my chin, following the voice options and dialling the call return facility. |
▸ call waiting n. a telephone service whereby a person making or receiving a call is alerted to another incoming call on the same line, typically also allowing the first caller to be placed on hold while the second is answered.
| 1971 H. Katayama et al. in Rev. Electr. Communication Laboratories 19 44 (title) Development of *call waiting service. 1987 A. Maupin Significant Others ix. 76 ‘Well, has he called?’ ‘How could he’, Michael answered, ‘when you keep calling to find out if he's called?’ ‘Bullshit. You've got Call Waiting’. 1999 M. Bank Girls' Guide Hunting & Fishing 243 I'm getting the address of the party when my call waiting beeps... ‘Hi,’ I say, flustered. ‘I'm on another call.’ |
▪ III. call
obs. form of caul.