# call /ˈkɔɫ/ (US) · /kˈɔːl/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/call Updated: 2026-08-15 ## Senses ### 1. to name verb · CEFR A1 to give someone or something a name, or to use their name. For teachers: to assign a name to an entity or to address someone by a specific name or title. - My name is Catherine, but my friends all call me Cat. - Although his legal name was Richard, he insisted that his colleagues call him by his childhood nickname. ### 2. to use a phone verb · CEFR A1 to try to speak to someone using a phone. For teachers: to contact or attempt to contact a person via telephone. - I will call you as soon as I get home from work. - The manager promised to call the client personally to resolve the billing discrepancy before the end of the business day. ### 3. to shout verb · CEFR A2 to shout or speak loudly to get someone's attention. For teachers: to cry out loudly in order to attract attention or summon someone. - She called his name across the busy street, but he didn't hear her. - The rescue team called out into the dark canyon, hoping for any sign of life from the missing hikers. ### 4. to demand or request verb · CEFR B2 · Formal to ask for something to happen or to order someone to come. For teachers: to command or request the presence or action of someone; to officially convene a meeting. - The president called a meeting to discuss the new safety rules. - The board of directors called an emergency session to address the sudden drop in share prices following the quarterly report. ### 5. a phone conversation noun · CEFR A1 an instance of speaking to someone on the phone. For teachers: a telephonic communication or the act of initiating one. - I had a long call with my mother last night. - The receptionist handled over fifty incoming calls during the morning rush, directing each to the appropriate department. ### 6. a decision noun · CEFR B1 · Informal a choice or a judgement about a situation. For teachers: a decision or judgement, often one made by an official in a game or a person in authority. - It was a tough call, but we decided to cancel the trip. - The referee made a controversial call in the final minute of the game, awarding a penalty that changed the outcome entirely. ### 7. animal sound noun · CEFR B1 the specific sound an animal or bird makes. For teachers: the characteristic cry or vocalisation of a non-human animal, especially a bird. - We woke up to the beautiful call of a bird outside our window. - The naturalist was able to identify several rare species simply by listening to their distinctive mating calls in the forest. ### 8. a short visit noun · CEFR B2 a short stop at a place, often by a person or a ship. For teachers: a brief social visit or a scheduled stop by a vessel at a port. - The cruise ship made a one-day call at the island of Crete. - The doctor made several house calls to elderly patients who were unable to travel to the clinic during the winter. ### 9. need or reason noun · CEFR C1 · Formal a reason or need for something to happen. For teachers: a justification, necessity, or demand for a particular action or quality. - There is no call for such rude behaviour in this office. - The supervisor noted that there was little call for additional staff during the off-peak season, given the current volume of work. Usage: Often used in the negative, such as 'no call for'. ### 11. computing function verb · CEFR C1 · Technical to tell a computer program to run a specific set of instructions. For teachers: to invoke a subprogram, routine, or function within a piece of software code. - The main program will call the print function after the data is saved. - The script failed because it attempted to call a library that had not been properly initialised in the environment. ## Examples - I need to make a quick call. - She missed a call from her boss while she was in the meeting. - The unexpected call in the middle of the night brought news that would change their lives forever. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.