CALL PHRASAL IDIOM

call back

1. To return from one situation/location to a previous one (Ex: Management called the laid-off workers back.) | 2. To request someone for a second audition (Ex: The director auditioned six singers and called two back.) | 3. To return a phone call (Ex: I called her back at noon.) | 4. To recall a defective product (Ex: The company has called back all such models built in 1990.)

call down

1. To find fault with; reprimand (Ex: The teacher called me down for disobedience.) | 2. To invoke, as from heaven.

call for

1. To appear in order to get (Ex: My chauffeur will call for you at seven.) | 2. To be an appropriate occasion for (Ex: This news calls for champagne.) | 3. To require; demand (Ex: work that calls for patience.)

call forth

To evoke; elicit (Ex: a love song that calls forth sad memories.)

call in

1. To take out of circulation (Ex: calling in silver dollars.) | 2. To summon for assistance or consultation (Ex: call in a specialist.) | 3. To communicate by telephone (Ex: Has the boss called in today?)

call off

1. To cancel or postpone (Ex: call off a trip; called the trip off.) | 2. To restrain or recall (Ex: Call off your dogs.)

call on

To order or request to undertake a particular activity (Ex: called on our friends to help.)

call out

1. To order to assemble or summon (Ex: call out the guard.) | 2. To challenge to a duel. | 3. To set off or direct attention to (Ex: The article calls out the new features of the software in a sidebar.)

call up

1. To summon to active military service (Ex: called up reserve troops for active duty.) | 2. To cause one to remember (Ex: stories that call up old times.) | 3. To bring forth for action or discussion; raise.

call upon

1. To order; require (Ex: I call upon you to tell the truth.) | 2. To make a demand on (Ex: Social institutions are now being called upon to provide assistance to the homeless.)

call in/into question

(Idiom) To raise doubts about.

call it a day

(Idiom - Informal) To stop what one has been doing, for the remainder of the day or at least for the present.

call it a night

(Idiom - Informal) To stop what one has been doing, for the remainder of the night.

call it quits

(Idiom - Informal) To stop working or trying; quit.

call names

(Idiom) To speak to or about another in offensive terms.

call of nature

(Idiom) A need to urinate or defecate (Ex: He left the room to answer the call of nature.)

call (someone's) bluff

(Idiom) To demand proof for or respond in a challenging way to claims/threats that one presumes to be false.

call the shots/tune

(Idiom - Informal) To exercise authority; be in charge.

on call

1. Available when summoned for service or use (Ex: physicians who were on call for 48 hours.) | 2. Subject to payment on demand.

within call

Close enough to come if summoned (Ex: The nurse is within call if you need him.)