call (n.)

  1. a telephone connection; she reported several anonymous calls; he placed a phone call to London; he heard the phone ringing but didnt want to take the call

    [ Syn: phone call , telephone call ]

  2. an instruction that interrupts the program being executed; Pascal performs calls by simply giving the name of the routine to be executed'

  3. a visit in an official or professional capacity; the pastor's calls on his parishioners; the salesman's call on a customer'

  4. (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee; he was ejected for protesting the call'

  5. the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date

    [ Syn: call option ]

  6. 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 ]

  7. 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 ]

  8. a demand especially in the phrase the call of duty

    [ Syn: claim ]

  9. 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 ]

  10. a brief social visit; senior professors' wives no longer make afternoon calls on newcomers; the characters in Henry James' novels are forever paying calls on each other, usually in the parlor of some residence'

  11. a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring his margin up to the minimum requirement

    [ Syn: margin call ]

  12. a demand for a show of hands in a card game; after two raises there was a call'

  13. a request; many calls for Christmas stories; not many calls for buggywhips'

    call (v.)

  1. assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to; They named their son David; The new school was named after the famous Civil Rights leader

    [ Syn: name ]

  2. utter a characteristic note or cry; bluejays called to one another'

  3. stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather; call a football game'

  4. greet, as with a prescribed form, title, or name; He always addresses me with `Sir; Call me Mister; She calls him by first name

    [ Syn: address ]

  5. make a stop in a harbour; The ship will call in Honolulu tomorrow'

  6. demand payment of (a loan); Call a loan

    [ Syn: call in ]

  7. make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands; He called his trump

    [ Syn: bid ]

  8. give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance

    [ Syn: call off ]

  9. indicate a decision in regard to; call balls and strikes behind the plate'

  10. make a prediction about; tell in advance; Call the outcome of an election

    [ Syn: predict , foretell , prognosticate , forebode , anticipate , promise ]

  11. require the presentation of for redemption before maturation; Call a bond'

  12. ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality; He called me a bastard; She called her children lazy and ungrateful'

  13. challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense; He deserves to be called on that'

  14. declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee; call a runner out'

  15. lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal; Call ducks'

  16. order or request or give a command for; The unions called a general strike for Sunday'

  17. order, summon, or request for a specific duty or activity, work, role; He was already called 4 times for jury duty; They called him to active military duty'

  18. utter in a loud voice or announce; He called my name; The auctioneer called the bids'

  19. challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of; call the speaker on a question of fact'

  20. consider or regard as being; I would not call her beautiful'

  21. rouse somebody from sleep with a call; I was called at 5 A.M. this morning'

  22. get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone; I tried to call you all night; Take two aspirin and call me in the morning

    [ Syn: telephone , call up , phone , ring ]

  23. utter a sudden loud cry; she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle; I yelled to her from the window but she couldnt hear me

    [ Syn: shout , shout out , cry , yell , scream , holler , hollo , squall ]

  24. order, request, or command to come; She was called into the directors office; Call the police!

    [ Syn: send for ]

  25. pay a brief visit; The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens

    [ Syn: visit , call in ]

  26. 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'

  27. read aloud to check for omissions or absentees; Call roll'

  28. 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 Samoa was heard calling'

The dictionary is based on the WordNet Electronic Lexical Database.
WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2011 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.