call
call
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "call" is /kɔːl/.
Syllable 1:
/k/ - voiceless velar stop
/ɔː/ - open-mid back rounded vowel (as in "thought")
/l/ - alveolar lateral approximant
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: call
Plural: calls
Verb:
Base form: call
Third-person singular present: calls
Past tense: called
Past participle: called
Present participle: calling
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A vocal sound or series of sounds made to attract attention, communicate a message, or express an emotion.
Synonyms: shout, cry, yell, holler, vocalization, utterance
Antonyms: whisper, silence, muttering
Definition 2: A brief visit or social engagement.
Synonyms: visit, stop, trip, appointment, consultation
Antonyms: departure, avoidance
Definition 3: A summons or request to come to a particular place or perform a particular action.
Synonyms: invitation, summons, request, appeal, demand, requirement
Antonyms: dismissal, rejection, refusal
Definition 4: A decision or judgment made in a particular situation, often in sports or professional contexts.
Synonyms: decision, judgment, ruling, verdict, determination, choice
Antonyms: indecision, uncertainty, vacillation
Verb
Definition 1: To utter a loud sound or speak in a loud voice, often to attract attention.
Synonyms: shout, cry out, yell, bellow, holler, exclaim
Antonyms: whisper, mumble, murmur
Definition 2: To contact someone by telephone.
Synonyms: phone, ring (up), dial, communicate, contact
Antonyms: hang up, disconnect
Definition 3: To name or describe someone or something.
Synonyms: name, designate, label, entitle, dub, refer to as
Antonyms: misname, misidentify
Definition 4: To summon or ask someone to come to a particular place or perform a particular action.
Synonyms: summon, invite, beckon, request, demand, appeal to
Antonyms: dismiss, send away, reject
Definition 5: To make a decision or judgment.
Synonyms: decide, judge, rule, determine, conclude, opt
Antonyms: defer, hesitate, waver
Examples of Use
Books:
"And with that, he received his call to adventure, a whisper from the world beyond the known." (From The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, March 2007)
"She heard the mournful call of a distant owl, a sound that always filled her with a strange mix of comfort and melancholy." (From Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens, August 2018)
Newspapers:
"The opposition party issued a call for national unity following the recent political unrest." (The Standard)
"Analysts are making a call on whether the central bank will raise interest rates in the next quarter." (The Wall Street Journal)
Online Publications:
"How to make a successful sales call: Tips for connecting with potential clients." (Forbes.com)
"Tech giant announces open call for innovative startup ideas." (TechCrunch.com)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Television (Dialogue): "Did you get my call? I've been trying to reach you all morning." (From an episode of Ted Lasso, Season 3, Apple TV+, March 2023)
Music (Song Title): "One Call Away" by Charlie Puth (Single released, August 2015)
Film (Dialogue): "It was a tough call, but I had to make a decision for the good of the team." (From the film Top Gun: Maverick, May 2022)
Video Games (In-game text/dialogue): "Mission Update: We just received a distress call from Sector 7." (Starfield, Bethesda Softworks, September 2023)
General Public Discourse:
"Let's just call it a day and pick this up tomorrow." (Common workplace idiom)
"That was a really close call; I almost hit that pole." (Everyday conversation about a near-miss)
"I need to make a quick call to my mom before we leave." (Informal conversation about a phone call)
"The referee made a bad call on that play; it should have been a foul." (Discussion among sports fans)
10 Quotes Using Call
"The mountains are calling and I must go." (John Muir)
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." (William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet)
"When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die." (Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship)
"You can either be a host to God, or a hostage to your ego. It's your call." (Wayne Dyer)
"Every man has his secret sorrows which the world knows not; and often times we call a man cold when he is only sad." (Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
"If you look hard and long, you can find us. If you listen hard and long, you can hear any of us, call any of us that you wish." (Tamora Pierce, Wild Magic)
"We are told to let our light shine, and if it does, we won't need to tell anybody it does. Lighthouses don't fire cannons to call attention to their shining - they just shine." (Dwight L. Moody)
"I believe there's a calling for all of us. I know that every human being has value and purpose. The real work of our lives is to become aware. And awakened. To answer the call." (Oprah Winfrey)
"How many legs does a dog have if you call his tail a leg? Four. Saying that a tail is a leg doesn't make it a leg." (Abraham Lincoln - often attributed, though likely a folk riddle he popularized)
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is God's gift, that's why we call it the present." (Joan Rivers)
Etymology
The word "call" has a long history, stemming from ancient Germanic and even older Indo-European roots.
At its core, "call" has always been about vocalizing or making a sound to get attention.
The earliest known use of the verb "call" (meaning to cry out or shout) can be traced back to the Old English period (before 1150 AD). It's thought to have come into English from Old Norse, specifically the word "kalla," which also meant "to cry loudly, summon in a loud voice, or name." Both of these words likely originated from an even older Proto-Germanic word, which itself came from a Proto-Indo-European root that meant "to vocalize, call, or shout."
So, picture someone in ancient times needing to get someone's attention across a field, or summon them for a task. They would have used a loud sound or cry – that's the original "call."
Over time, the meaning of "call" expanded. By the Middle English period (1150-1500 AD), the noun "call" emerged, meaning "a loud cry, an outcry" or "a summons, an invitation." This is also when the sense of making a short stop or visit (like "calling on a friend") began to develop, literally implying the act of standing at a door and calling out.
Later, with the invention of the telephone, the word "call" naturally extended to mean a telephone communication or attempt to contact someone by phone, keeping that core idea of "summoning" or "reaching out."
Phrases + Idioms Containing Call
Call it a day: To decide to stop working on something.
Call the shots: To be in charge and make the decisions.
Call someone's bluff: To challenge someone to prove something they are claiming.
Call to mind: To remember something.
Call off: To cancel something.
Call for: To require or demand something.
Call someone out: To challenge someone on their behavior or statements.
A close call: A narrow escape from danger or disaster.
The call of the wild: A strong desire to return to nature or a more primitive way of life.
Call into question: To raise doubts about something.
On call: Available to be summoned for work, especially in an emergency.
Call names: To insult someone.
Call time: To declare an end to something, often a game or a period of play.
Call to account: To demand an explanation from someone for their actions.
Call it even: To consider debts or favors to be balanced between two people.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of call from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
