call
/kɔːl/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To say something to someone in order to get their attention, contact them, or ask them to come. It can also mean to telephone someone.
- Please call me after lunch.
- She called the waiter over.
- I will call you tonight.
noun
A phone conversation or a brief spoken contact. It can also mean a decision, choice, or official judgment.
- I got a call from my manager.
- That was a difficult call.
- It was the right call.
Adinary Nuance
Call is broader and more natural than many near-neighbors. Use call for phone contact, but telephone sounds more formal or old-fashioned. For getting attention, call is direct; shout is louder and stronger, while say only means speaking words.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- gọi
- Spanish
- llamar
- Chinese
- 打电话
- Japanese
- 電話する
- Korean
- 전화하다
Etymology
Call comes from Old Norse kalla, meaning 'to shout'. It entered English through everyday speech and later gained the meaning 'telephone'.
Common phrases
call someone backcall on someonegive someone a calla conference call
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is call more natural than telephone in everyday English?
- Yes. Call is more common in daily speech. Telephone is more formal and less common.
- What is the difference between call and ring?
- Both can mean to phone someone. Ring is more common in British English, while call is common everywhere.
- Can call mean more than phoning someone?
- Yes. It can also mean shouting for attention, naming someone, or making a decision.
- How do I use call back correctly?
- Use call back when you phone someone again after missing their call or after they asked you to reply.