call
n 1: a telephone connection; "she reported several anonymous
calls"; "he placed a phone call to London"; "he heard
the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call"
[syn: {phone call}, {telephone call}]
2: a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue
a particular course; "he was disappointed that he had not
heard the Call" [syn: {Call}]
3: a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition; "the
speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the
audience" [syn: {cry}, {outcry}, {yell}, {shout}, {vociferation}]
4: a demand especially in the phrase "the call of duty" [syn: {claim}]
5: the characteristic sound produced by a bird; "a bird will
not learn its song unless it hears it at an early age"
[syn: {birdcall}, {birdsong}, {song}]
6: a brief social visit: "senior professors' wives no longer
make afternoon calls on newcomers"
7: a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring
his margin up to the minimum requirement [syn: {margin
call}]
8: a demand for a show of hands in a card game; "after two
raises there was a call"
9: a request; "many calls for Christmas stories"; "not many
calls for buggywhips"
10: an instruction that interrupts the program being executed;
"Pascal perfroms calls by simply giving the name of the
routine to be executed"
11: brief visit in an official or professional capacity: "the
pastor's visits to his parishioners"; "a visit to a
dentist"; "the salesman's call on a customer"
12: (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee; "he was
ejected for protesting the call"
13: the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity
future) at a given price before a given date [syn: {call
option}] [ant: {put option}]
v 1: assign a specified name to; "They named their son David";
"The new school was named after the famous Civil Rights
leader"; "Call me Boris" [syn: {name}]
2: get or try to get into communication by telephone; "I tried
to call you all night"; "Take two aspirin and call me in
the morning" [syn: {telephone}, {call up}, {phone}, {ring}]
3: ascribe a quality to or give a name that reflects a quality;
"He called me a bastard"; "She called her children lazy
and ungrateful"
4: order, request, or command to come; "He has been called to
active military duty"; "She was called into the director's
office"; "Call the police!" [syn: {send for}]
5: utter a sudden loud cry; "she cried with pain when the
doctor inserted the needle"; "I yelled to her from the
window but she couldn't hear me" [syn: {shout}, {shout out},
{cry}, {yell}, {scream}, {holler}, {hollo}, {squall}]
6: pay a brief visit; "The mayor likes to call on some of the
prominent citizens" [syn: {visit}, {call in}]
7: call a meeting; invite or command to meet; "The Wannsee
Conference was called to discuss the "Final Solution";
"The new dean calls meetings every week"
8: indicate a decision in regard to (sports): "call balls and
strikes behind the plate"
9: order or request for a specific duty or role; "He was
already called 4 times for jury duty"
10: order or request or give a command for; "The unions called a
general strike for Sunday"
11: send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone,
etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message;
"Hawaii is calling!"; "A transmitter in Hawaii was heard
calling"
12: stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad
weather; "call a football game"
13: read aloud to check for omissions or absentees; "Call roll"
14: utter a characteristic note or cry; "bluejays called to one
another"
15: challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge
with or censure for an offense; "He deserves to be called
on that"
16: demand payment of, as of a loan; "Call a loan" [syn: {call
in}]
17: give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance [syn: {call
off}]
18: make a demand in card games, as for a card or a suit or a
show of hands; "He called his trump" [syn: {bid}]
19: make a prediction about; tell in advance; "Call the outcome
of an election" [syn: {predict}, {foretell}, {prognosticate},
{forebode}, {anticipate}, {promise}]
20: require the presentation of for redemption before
maturation; "Call a bond"
21: declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee; "call a
runner out"
22: lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal:
"Call ducks"
23: utter in a loud voice or announce; "He called my name"; "The
auctioneer called the bids"
24: challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of; "call the
speaker on a question of fact"
25: consider or regard as being; "I would not call her
beautiful"
26: rouse somebody from sleep with a call; "I was called at 5
A.M. this morning"