the call is coming from inside the house
A problem is the result of internal factors or agents, and is not the result of outside influence or interference.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“We cannot blame competitors because the call is coming from inside the house.”
“Our team's low morale shows that the call is coming from inside the house.”
“The company realized that the security breach was an inside job, proving that the call is coming from inside the house.”
“The manager stopped blaming the slow internet on the provider when she realized the call is coming from inside the house because of our old equipment.”
“Instead of accusing other departments of wasting money, the director admitted the call is coming from inside the house after seeing his own staff's spending.”
“When the organization discovered that the corruption originated within its own board of directors, they realized the call is coming from inside the house.”
first recorded 20th c.
A horror-movie cliché derived from the 1974 film Black Christmas. The line appears in the film to signify that a perceived external threat is already present within the domestic space, establishing a trope that has since become a standard fixture of the genre.
- 01
answer the call of nature
To satisfy a bodily urge to urinate or defecate.
- 02
basket house
A cafe or similar establishment where musical performances are given and the performers are then paid with money placed in a basket by members of the audience.
- 03
bet the house
Synonym of bet the farm.
- 04
bottom the house
To clean a house from top to bottom; to clean a house extremely thoroughly.
- 05
bring down the house
To garner enthusiastic or wild applause or laughter.
- 06
call a lid
To inform the press that no further news will be released from a governmental body that day.
- 07
call a spade a spade
To put it bluntly, to be outspoken; to speak the truth, to describe things as they really are.
- 08
call an audible
To change plans at the last minute in response to new information.
Last updated August 10, 2026