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15 dictionary results for: Call
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
call       [kawl] Pronunciation Key
–verb (used with object)
1.to cry out in a loud voice; shout: He called her name to see if she was home.
2.to command or request to come; summon: to call a dog; to call a cab; to call a witness.
3.to ask or invite to come: Will you call the family to dinner?
4.to communicate or try to communicate with by telephone: Call me when you arrive.
5.to rouse from sleep, as by a call; waken: Call me at eight o'clock.
6.to read over (a roll or a list) in a loud voice.
7.to convoke or convene: to call Congress into session.
8.to announce authoritatively; proclaim: to call a halt.
9.to order into effect; establish: to call a strike.
10.to schedule: to call a rehearsal.
11.to summon by or as if by divine command: He felt called to the ministry.
12.to summon to an office, duty, etc.: His country called him to the colors.
13.to cause to come; bring: to call to mind; to call into existence.
14.to bring under consideration or discussion: The judge called the case to court.
15.to attract or lure (birds or animals) by imitating characteristic sounds.
16.to direct or attract (attention): He called his roommate's attention to the mess.
17.to name or address (someone) as: His parents named him James, but the boys call him Jim.
18.to designate as something specified: He called me a liar.
19.to think of as something specified; consider; estimate: I call that a mean remark.
20.to demand of (someone) that he or she fulfill a promise, furnish evidence for a statement, etc.: They called him on his story.
21.to criticize adversely; express disapproval of; censure: She called him on his vulgar language.
22.to demand payment or fulfillment of (a loan).
23.to demand presentation of (bonds) for redemption.
24.to forecast correctly: He has called the outcome of the last three elections.
25.Sports. (of an official)
a.to pronounce a judgment on (a shot, pitch, batter, etc.): The umpire called the pitch a strike.
b.to put an end to (a contest) because of inclement weather, poor field conditions, etc.: A sudden downpour forced the umpire to call the game.
26.Pool. to name (the ball) one intends to drive into a particular pocket.
27.(in a computer program) to transfer control of to a procedure or subroutine.
28.Cards.
a.to demand (a card).
b.to demand the display of a hand by (a player).
c.Poker. to equal (a bet) or equal the bet made by (the preceding bettor) in a round.
d.Bridge. to signal one's partner for a lead of (a certain card or suit).
–verb (used without object)
29.to speak loudly, as to attract attention; shout; cry: She called to the children.
30.to make a short visit; stop at a place on some errand or business: She called at the store for the package.
31.to telephone or try to telephone a person: He promised to call at noon.
32.Cards.
a.to demand a card.
b.to demand a showing of hands.
c.Poker. to equal a bet.
d.Bridge. to bid or pass.
33.(of a bird or animal) to utter its characteristic cry.
–noun
34.a cry or shout.
35.the cry or vocal sound of a bird or other animal.
36.an instrument for imitating this cry and attracting or luring an animal: He bought a duck call.
37.an act or instance of telephoning: She went into a telephone booth to place her call.
38.a short visit: to make a call on someone.
39.a summons or signal sounded by a bugle, bell, etc.: We live so close to the fort that we can hear the bugle calls.
40.a summons, invitation, or bidding: The students gathered at the call of the dean.
41.a calling of a roll; roll call.
42.the fascination or appeal of a given place, vocation, etc.: the call of the sea.
43.a mystic experience of divine appointment to a vocation or service: He had a call to become a minister.
44.a request or invitation to become pastor of a church, a professor in a university, etc.
45.a need or occasion: He had no call to say such outrageous things.
46.a demand or claim: to make a call on a person's time.
47.a demand for payment of an obligation, esp. where payment is at the option of the creditor.
48.Cards.
a.a demand for a card or a showing of hands.
b.Poker. an equaling of the preceding bet.
c.Bridge. a bid or pass.
49.Sports. a judgment or decision by an umpire, a referee, or other official of a contest, as on a shot, pitch, or batter: The referees were making one bad call after another.
50.Theater.
a.a notice of rehearsal posted by the stage manager.
b.act call.
c.curtain call.
51.Dance. a figure or direction in square dancing, announced to the dancers by the caller.
52.Also called call option. Finance. an option that gives the right to buy a fixed amount of a particular stock at a predetermined price within a given period of time, purchased by a person who believes the price will rise. Compare put (def. 24).
53.Fox Hunting. any of several cries, or sounds made on a horn by the hunter to encourage the hounds.
—Verb phrases
54.call away, to cause to leave or go; summon: A death in the family called him away.
55.call back,
a.to summon or bring back; recall: He called back the messenger. The actor was called back for a second audition.
b.to revoke; retract: to call back an accusation.
56.call down,
a.to request or pray for; invoke: to call down the wrath of God.
b.to reprimand; scold: The boss called us down for lateness.
57.call for,
a.to go or come to get; pick up; fetch.
b.to request; summon.
c.to require; demand; need: The occasion calls for a cool head.
58.call forth, to summon into action; bring into existence: to call forth her courage and resolve.
59.call in,
a.to call for payment; collect.
b.to withdraw from circulation: to call in gold certificates.
c.to call upon for consultation; ask for help: Two specialists were called in to assist in the operation.
d.to inform or report by telephone: Did he call in his decision this morning?
e.to participate in a radio or television program by telephone.
60.call in or into question. question (def. 17).
61.call off,
a.to distract; take away: Please call off your dog.
b.to cancel (something) that had been planned for a certain date: The performance was called off because of rain.
62.call on or upon,
a.to ask; appeal to: They called on him to represent them.
b.to visit for a short time: to call on friends.
63.call out,
a.to speak in a loud voice; shout.
b.to summon into service or action: Call out the militia!
c.to bring out; elicit: The emergency called out her hidden abilities.
d.to direct attention to with a callout: to call out each detail in an illustration.
e.Informal. to challenge to a fight.
64.call up,
a.to bring forward for consideration or discussion.
b.to cause to remember; evoke.
c.to communicate or try to communicate with by telephone.
d.to summon for action or service: A large number of Army reservists were called up.
e.Computers. to summon (information) from a computer system for display on a video screen: She called up the full text.
—Idioms
65.call in sick. sick1 (def. 14).
66.call to order. order (def. 48).
67.on call,
a.payable or subject to return without advance notice.
b.readily available for summoning upon short notice.
68.take a call, to acknowledge the applause of the audience after a performance by appearing for a bow or a curtain call.
69.within call, within distance or range of being spoken to or summoned: Please stay within call.
[Origin: 1200–50; late ME callen, prob. < ON kalla to call out, conflated with OE (West Saxon) ceallian to shout; c. MD kallen to talk, OHG kallôn to shout, akin to OE -calla herald, Ir gall swan, OCS glasŭ voice]

—Synonyms 2, 3, 12. Call, invite, summon imply requesting the presence or attendance of someone at a particular place. Call is the general word: to call a meeting. To invite is to ask someone courteously to come as a guest, a participant, etc., leaving the person free to refuse: to invite guests to a concert; to invite them to contribute to a fund. Summon implies sending for someone, using authority or formality in making the request and (theoretically) not leaving the person free to refuse: to summon a witness, members of a committee, etc.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
call       (kôl)  Pronunciation Key 
v.   called, call·ing, calls

v.   tr.
  1. To say in a loud voice; announce: called my name from across the street; calling out numbers.
  2. To demand or ask for the presence of: called the children to dinner; call the police.
  3. To demand or ask for a meeting of; convene or convoke: call the legislature into session.
  4. To order or request to undertake a particular activity or work; summon: She was called for jury duty. He was called to the priesthood.
  5. To give the command for; order: call a work stoppage.
    1. To communicate or try to communicate with by telephone: called me at nine.
    2. To dial (a telephone number): call 911 for help.
    3. To demand payment of: call a loan.
    4. To require the presentation of (a bond) for redemption before maturity.
    5. To force the sale of (a stock or commodity) by exercising a call option.
    6. To stop or postpone (a game) because of bad weather, darkness, or other adverse conditions.
    7. To declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee: call a runner out; call a penalty for holding.
    8. To indicate a decision in regard to: calling balls and strikes; called a close play at home plate.
    9. To give the orders or signals for: a quarterback who called a poor play.
    10. To describe the intended outcome of (one's billiard shot) before playing.
    11. To equal the bet of (the preceding bet or bettor) in a poker game.
  7. To lure (prey) by imitating the characteristic cry of an animal: call ducks.
  8. To cause to come to the mind or to attention: a story that calls to mind an incident in my youth.
  9. To name: What will you call the baby?
  10. To consider or regard as being of a particular type or kind; characterize: Let's call the game a draw. I'd hardly call him a good manager.
  11. To designate; label: Nobody calls me a liar.
    1. To demand payment of: call a loan.
    2. To require the presentation of (a bond) for redemption before maturity.
    3. To force the sale of (a stock or commodity) by exercising a call option.
    4. To stop or postpone (a game) because of bad weather, darkness, or other adverse conditions.
    5. To declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee: call a runner out; call a penalty for holding.
    6. To indicate a decision in regard to: calling balls and strikes; called a close play at home plate.
    7. To give the orders or signals for: a quarterback who called a poor play.
    8. To describe the intended outcome of (one's billiard shot) before playing.
    9. To equal the bet of (the preceding bet or bettor) in a poker game.
  13. Sports
    1. To stop or postpone (a game) because of bad weather, darkness, or other adverse conditions.
    2. To declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee: call a runner out; call a penalty for holding.
    3. To indicate a decision in regard to: calling balls and strikes; called a close play at home plate.
    4. To give the orders or signals for: a quarterback who called a poor play.
    5. To describe the intended outcome of (one's billiard shot) before playing.
    6. To equal the bet of (the preceding bet or bettor) in a poker game.
  14. Games
    1. To describe the intended outcome of (one's billiard shot) before playing.
    2. To equal the bet of (the preceding bet or bettor) in a poker game.
  15. To indicate or characterize accurately in advance; predict: It is often difficult to call the outcome of an election. See Synonyms at predict.
  16. To challenge the truthfulness or genuineness of: called the debater on a question of fact.
  17. To shout directions in rhythm for (a square dance).

v.   intr.
    1. To speak loudly; shout: a swimmer who was calling for help.
    2. To utter a characteristic cry. Used of an animal: geese calling in early morning.
  2. To communicate or try to communicate with someone by telephone: I called twice, but no one answered.
  3. To pay a short visit: We called to pay our respects. He called on the neighbors but they weren't home.

n.  
  1. A loud cry; a shout.
    1. The characteristic cry of an animal.
    2. A sound or an instrument made to imitate such a cry, used as a lure: a moose call.
    3. A signal, such as that made by a horn or bell.
    4. The sounding of a horn to encourage hounds during a hunt.
    5. A strong inner urge or prompting; a vocation: a call to the priesthood.
    6. The strong attraction or appeal of a given activity or environment: the call of the wild; answered the call of the desert.
    7. A decision made by an umpire or referee.
    8. An announced description of a game or race, as by a sportscaster.
    9. A demand for payment of a debt.
    10. A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
    11. An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
    12. A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
  3. A telephone communication or connection.
  4. Need or occasion: There was no call for an apology.
  5. Demand: There isn't much call for buggy whips today.
  6. A claim on a person's time or life: the call of duty.
  7. A short visit, especially one made as a formality or for business or professional purposes.
  8. A summons or invitation.
    1. A signal, such as that made by a horn or bell.
    2. The sounding of a horn to encourage hounds during a hunt.
    3. A strong inner urge or prompting; a vocation: a call to the priesthood.
    4. The strong attraction or appeal of a given activity or environment: the call of the wild; answered the call of the desert.
    5. A decision made by an umpire or referee.
    6. An announced description of a game or race, as by a sportscaster.
    7. A demand for payment of a debt.
    8. A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
    9. An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
    10. A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
    1. A strong inner urge or prompting; a vocation: a call to the priesthood.
    2. The strong attraction or appeal of a given activity or environment: the call of the wild; answered the call of the desert.
    3. A decision made by an umpire or referee.
    4. An announced description of a game or race, as by a sportscaster.
    5. A demand for payment of a debt.
    6. A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
    7. An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
    8. A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
  11. A roll call.
  12. A notice of rehearsal times posted in a theater.
  13. Sports
    1. A decision made by an umpire or referee.
    2. An announced description of a game or race, as by a sportscaster.
    3. A demand for payment of a debt.
    4. A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
    5. An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
    6. A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
  14. A direction or series of directions rhythmically called out to square dancers.
    1. A demand for payment of a debt.
    2. A demand to submit bonds to the issuer for redemption before the maturity date.
    3. An option to buy a certain quantity of a stock or commodity for a specified price within a specified time.
    4. A demand for payment due on stock bought on margin when the value has shrunk.
  16. To communicate the need for (someone) to return from one situation or location to a previous one: Management called the laid-off workers back.
  17. To telephone or radio (a person) who has called previously: I called her back at noon.
  18. To recall (a defective product) for repair: The company has called back all such models built in 1990.
  19. To find fault with; reprimand: The teacher called me down for disobedience.
  20. To invoke, as from heaven.
  21. To appear, as on someone else's premises, in order to get: My chauffeur will call for you at seven.
  22. To be an appropriate occasion for: This news calls for champagne.
  23. To require; demand: work that calls for patience.
  24. To take out of circulation: calling in silver dollars.
  25. To summon for assistance or consultation: call in a specialist.
  26. To communicate with another by telephone: Has the boss called in today?
  27. To cancel or postpone: call off a trip; called the trip off.
  28. To restrain or recall: Call off your dogs.
  29. To cause to assemble; summon: call out the guard.
  30. To challenge to a duel.
  31. To summon to active military service: called up reserve troops for active duty.
  32. To cause one to remember; bring to mind: stories that call up old times.
  33. To bring forth for action or discussion; raise.
  34. To order; require: I call upon you to tell the truth.
  35. To make a demand or a series of demands on: Social institutions are now being called upon to provide assistance to the homeless.

Phrasal Verb(s):
call back
  1. To communicate the need for (someone) to return from one situation or location to a previous one: Management called the laid-off workers back.
  2. To telephone or radio (a person) who has called previously: I called her back at noon.
  3. To recall (a defective product) for repair: The company has called back all such models built in 1990.
call down
  1. To find fault with; reprimand: The teacher called me down for disobedience.
  2. To invoke, as from heaven.
call for
  1. To appear, as on someone else's premises, in order to get: My chauffeur will call for you at seven.
  2. To be an appropriate occasion for: This news calls for champagne.
  3. To require; demand: work that calls for patience.
call forth
To evoke; elicit: a love song that calls forth sad memories.
call in
  1. To take out of circulation: calling in silver dollars.
  2. To summon for assistance or consultation: call in a specialist.
  3. To communicate with another by telephone: Has the boss called in today?
call off
  1. To cancel or postpone: call off a trip; called the trip off.
  2. To restrain or recall: Call off your dogs.
call on
To order or request to undertake a particular activity: called on our friends to help.
call out
  1. To cause to assemble; summon: call out the guard.
  2. To challenge to a duel.
call up
  1. To summon to active military service: called up reserve troops for active duty.
  2. To cause one to remember; bring to mind: stories that call up old times.
  3. To bring forth for action or discussion; raise.
call upon
  1. To order; require: I call upon you to tell the truth.
  2. To make a demand or a series of demands on: Social institutions are now being called upon to provide assistance to the homeless.

Idiom(s):
call a spade a spade
To speak directly, precisely, and forthrightly.

Idiom(s):
call in/into question
To raise doubts about.

Idiom(s):
call it a day Informal
To stop what one has been doing, for the remainder of the day or at least for the present.

Idiom(s):
call it a night Informal
To stop what one has been doing, for the remainder of the night.

Idiom(s):
call it quits Informal
To stop working or trying; quit.

Idiom(s):
call names
To speak to or about another in offensive terms.

Idiom(s):
call of nature
A need to urinate or defecate. Often used with answer: He left the room to answer the call of nature.

Idiom(s):
call (someone's) bluff
To challenge another with a display of strength or confidence.

Idiom(s):
call the shots/tune Informal
To exercise authority; be in charge.

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

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

[Middle English callen, probably from Old Norse kalla; see gal- in Indo-European roots.]

Synonyms: These verbs mean to demand or request to appear, come, or assemble: called a taxi; convened a meeting; will convoke the legislature; mustering the militia; summoned a witness.

Our Living Language  : African American Vernacular English (AAVE) uses call oneself with a present participle, as in They call themselves dancing, to express the idea that the people being talked about are not very good at what they're doing (in this example, dancing), even though they may think they are. This construction has a structure and meaning similar to the Standard English use of call oneself with a noun phrase or adjective, as in She calls herself intelligent or He calls himself a dancer.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
call  (v.)
O.E. ceallian, less common than clipian; replaced by O.N. kalla "to cry loudly," from P.Gmc. *kallojanan, from PIE base *gal- "to call, scream, shriek" (see calendar). Meaning "to give a name to" is c.1250. Meaning "to visit" (M.E.) was literally "to stand at the door and call;" sense of "a short formal visit" is from 1862; caller "visitor" is from 1786. Telephone/telegraph sense is from 1889 (hence slang call girl, c.1900, originally a prostitute dispatched by telephone). Coin-toss sense is from 1801. Calling "vocation" (1382) traces to I Cor. vii:20. To call out someone to fight (1823) corresponds to Fr. provoqueur. To call it a day is from 1834.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This
call

noun
1. a telephone connection; "she reported several anonymous calls"; "he placed a phone call to London"; "he heard the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call" 
2. a special disposition (as if from a divine source) to pursue a particular course; "he was disappointed that he had not heard the Call" 
3. a loud utterance; often in protest or opposition; "the speaker was interrupted by loud cries from the rear of the audience" [syn: cry] 
4. a demand especially in the phrase "the call of duty" 
5. the characteristic sound produced by a bird; "a bird will not learn its song unless it hears it at an early age" [syn: birdcall] 
6. 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" 
7. a demand by a broker that a customer deposit enough to bring his margin up to the minimum requirement [syn: margin call] 
8. a demand for a show of hands in a card game; "after two raises there was a call" 
9. a request; "many calls for Christmas stories"; "not many calls for buggywhips" 
10. an instruction that interrupts the program being executed; "Pascal performs calls by simply giving the name of the routine to be executed" 
11. a visit in an official or professional capacity; "the pastor's calls on his parishioners"; "the salesman's call on a customer" 
12. (sports) the decision made by an umpire or referee; "he was ejected for protesting the call" 
13. the option to buy a given stock (or stock index or commodity future) at a given price before a given date [syn: call option] [ant: put] 

verb
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. 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" 
3. 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" 
4. utter a sudden loud cry; "she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needle"; "I yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me" [syn: shout] 
5. order, request, or command to come; "She was called into the director's office"; "Call the police!" 
6. pay a brief visit; "The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens" [syn: visit] 
7. 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" 
8. read aloud to check for omissions or absentees; "Call roll" 
9. 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" 
10. utter a characteristic note or cry; "bluejays called to one another" 
11. stop or postpone because of adverse conditions, such as bad weather; "call a football game" 
12. 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] 
13. make a stop in a harbour; "The ship will call in Honolulu tomorrow" 
14. demand payment of (a loan); "Call a loan" 
15. make a demand, as for a card or a suit or a show of hands; "He called his trump" [syn: bid] 
16. give the calls (to the dancers) for a square dance 
17. indicate a decision in regard to; "call balls and strikes behind the plate" 
18. make a prediction about; tell in advance; "Call the outcome of an election" [syn: predict] 
19. require the presentation of for redemption before maturation; "Call a bond" 
20. challenge (somebody) to make good on a statement; charge with or censure for an offense; "He deserves to be called on that" 
21. declare in the capacity of an umpire or referee; "call a runner out" 
22. lure by imitating the characteristic call of an animal; "Call ducks" 
23. order or request or give a command for; "The unions called a general strike for Sunday" 
24. 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" 
25. utter in a loud voice or announce; "He called my name"; "The auctioneer called the bids" 
26. challenge the sincerity or truthfulness of; "call the speaker on a question of fact" 
27. consider or regard as being; "I would not call her beautiful" 
28. rouse somebody from sleep with a call; "I was called at 5 A.M. this morning" 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

call

In addition to the idioms beginning with call, also see above and beyond (the call of duty); at someone's beck and call; close call; dressing (calling) down; no call for; on call; pay a call; pot calling the kettle black; too close to call; uncalled for; wake-up call; within call.


The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Investopedia - Cite This Source - Share This

Call

1. The period of time between the opening and closing of some future markets wherein the prices are established through an auction process.

2. An option contract giving the owner the right (but not the obligation) to buy a specified amount of an underlying security at a specified price within a specified time.

Investopedia Commentary

1. In some exchanges the call period is an important time in which to match and execute a large number of orders before opening and closing.

2. A call becomes more valuable as the price of the underlying asset (stock) appreciates.

Related Links

Options Basics Tutorial
Alternatives to Closing Below Intrinsic Value

See also: Auction Market, Buyer's Call, Buyer's Market, Call Option, Callable Bond, Close, Dealer's Market, Employee Stock Option (ESO), Extraordinary Redemption, Long, Open, Option, Put

Also spelled: call option

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Wallstreet Words - Cite This Source - Share This

call

  1. An option that permits its holder to purchase a specific asset at a predetermined price until a certain date. For example, an investor may purchase a call option on General Electric stock that confers the right to buy 100 shares at $25 per share until October 17. Calls are sold for a fee by other investors, who incur an obligation. Compare put 1. Also called call option. See also synthetic call.
  2. An issuer's right to repurchase an issue of bonds at a predetermined price before maturity. The feature is used when interest rates fall, so that the bonds can be repurchased and a new, lower-rate issue sold. A call feature is normal for nearly all long-term bond issues, and it operates to the detriment of bond owners. See also call price, cleanup call, extraordinary call, optional call, sinking fund call.
  3. Redemption of an issue of bonds before maturity by forcing the bondholders to sell at the call price.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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call

To force an option writer to sell shares of stock at a price stipulated in a contract. Stocks usually are called just before the expiration of the options.

Wall Street Words: An A to Z Guide to Investment Terms for Today's Investor by David L. Scott.
Copyright © 2003 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: call
Function: transitive verb
1 : to announce or recite loudly <called the civil trial list>
2 : to admit (a person) as a barrister called to the bar>
3 : to demand payment of esp. by formal notice <call a loan>
4 : to demand presentation of (as a bond or option) for redemption
NOTE: A security issuer may call a security only if calling it is previously provided for, as, for example, in the indenture for a bond or in the stock agreement for preferred stock. The issuer usually pays the holder a premium for a called security.

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: call
Function: noun
1 : a demand for payment of money: as a : a notice by the U.S. Treasury to depositories to transfer part of its deposit balance to the Federal Reserve bank b : a notice to a stockholder or subscriber to pay an assessment or an installment of subscription to capital
2 : CALL OPTION at, OPTION
3 a : a formal announcement or recitation call of the motion calendar> b : ROLL CALL call of the house>

Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Law, © 1996 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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U.S. Gazetteer - Cite This Source - Share This

Mc Call Creek, MS Zip code(s): 39647

Call, TX Zip code(s): 75933

Mc Call, ID Zip code(s): 83638

U.S. Gazetteer, U.S. Census Bureau
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Call

Call\ (k[add]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Called (k[add]ld); p. pr. & vb. n. Calling] [OE. callen, AS. ceallian; akin to Icel. & Sw. kalla, Dan. kalde, D. kallen to talk, prate, OHG. kall[=o]n to call; cf. Gr. ghry`ein to speak, sing, Skr. gar to praise. Cf. Garrulous.]

1. To command or request to come or be present; to summon; as, to call a servant.

Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain --Shak.

2. To summon to the discharge of a particular duty; to designate for an office, or employment, especially of a religious character; -- often used of a divine summons; as, to be called to the ministry; sometimes, to invite; as, to call a minister to be the pastor of a church.

Paul . . . called to be an apostle --Rom. i. 1.

The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them. --Acts xiii. 2.

3. To invite or command to meet; to convoke; -- often with together; as, the President called Congress together; to appoint and summon; as, to call a meeting of the Board of Aldermen.

Now call we our high court of Parliament. --Shak.

4. To give name to; to name; to address, or speak of, by a specifed name.

If you would but call me Rosalind. --Shak.

And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. --Gen. i. 5.

5. To regard or characterize as of a certain kind; to denominate; to designate.

What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common. --Acts x. 15.

6. To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to characterize without strict regard to fact; as, they call the distance ten miles; he called it a full day's work.

[The] army is called seven hundred thousand men. --Brougham.

7. To show or disclose the class, character, or nationality of. [Obs.]

This speech calls him Spaniard. --Beau. & Fl.

8. To utter in a loud or distinct voice; -- often with off; as, to call, or call off, the items of an account; to call the roll of a military company.

No parish clerk who calls the psalm so clear. --Gay.

9. To invoke; to appeal to.

I call God for a witness. --2 Cor. i. 23 [Rev. Ver. ]

10. To rouse from sleep; to awaken.

If thou canst awake by four o' the clock. I prithee call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly. --Shak.

To call a bond, to give notice that the amount of the bond will be paid.

To call a party (Law), to cry aloud his name in open court, and command him to come in and perform some duty requiring his presence at the time on pain of what may befall him.

To call back, to revoke or retract; to recall; to summon back.

To call down, to pray for, as blessing or curses.

To call forth, to bring or summon to action; as, to call forth all the faculties of the mind.

To call in, (a) To collect; as, to call in debts or money; ar to withdraw from cirulation; as, to call in uncurrent coin. (b) To summon to one's side; to invite to come together; as, to call in neighbors.

To call (any one) names, to apply contemptuous names (to any one).

To call off, to summon away; to divert; as, to call off the attention; to call off workmen from their employment.

To call out. (a) To summon to fight; to challenge. (b) To summon into service; as, to call out the militia.

To call over, to recite separate particulars in order, as a roll of names.

To call to account, to demand explanation of.

To call to mind, to recollect; to revive in memory.

To call to order, to request to come to order; as: (a) A public meeting, when opening it for business. (b) A person, when he is transgressing the rules of debate.

To call to the bar, to admit to practice in courts of law.

To call up. (a) To bring into view or recollection; as to call up the image of deceased friend. (b) To bring into action or discussion; to demand the consideration of; as, to call up a bill before a legislative body.

Syn: To name; denominate; invite; bid; summon; convoke; assemble; collect; exhort; warn; proclaim; invoke; appeal to; designate.

Usage: To Call, Convoke, Summon. Call is the generic term; as, to call a public meeting. To convoke is to require the assembling of some organized body of men by an act of authority; as, the king convoked Parliament. To summon is to require attendance by an act more or less stringent anthority; as, to summon a witness.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Call

Call\, v. i. 1. To speak in loud voice; to cry out; to address by name; -- sometimes with to.

You must call to the nurse. --Shak.

The angel of God called to Hagar. --Gen. xxi. 17.

2. To make a demand, requirement, or request.

They called for rooms, and he showed them one. --Bunyan.

3. To make a brief visit; also, to stop at some place designated, as for orders.

He ordered her to call at the house once a week. --Temple.

To call for (a) To demand; to require; as, a crime calls for punishment; a survey, grant, or deed calls for the metes and bounds, or the quantity of land, etc., which it describes. (b) To give an order for; to request. "Whenever the coach stopped, the sailor called for more ale." --Marryat.

To call on, To call upon, (a) To make a short visit to; as, call on a friend. (b) To appeal to; to invite; to request earnestly; as, to call upon a person to make a speech. (c) To solicit payment, or make a demand, of a debt. (d) To invoke or play to; to worship; as, to call upon God.

To call out To call or utter loudly; to brawl.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Call

Call\, n. 1. The act of calling; -- usually with the voice, but often otherwise, as by signs, the sound of some instrument, or by writing; a summons; an entreaty; an invitation; as, a call for help; the bugle's call. "Call of the trumpet." --Shak.

I rose as at thy call, but found thee not. --Milton.

2. A signal, as on a drum, bugle, trumpet, or pipe, to summon soldiers or sailors to duty.

3. (Eccl.) An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor.

4. A requirement or appeal arising from the circumstances of the case; a moral requirement or appeal.

Dependence is a perpetual call upon humanity. --Addison.

Running into danger without any call of duty. --Macaulay.

5. A divine vocation or summons.

St. Paul himself believed he did well, and that he had a call to it, when he persecuted the Christians. --Locke.

6. Vocation; employment.

Note: [In this sense, calling is generally used.]

7. A short visit; as, to make a call on a neighbor; also, the daily coming of a tradesman to solicit orders.

The baker's punctual call. --Cowper.

8. (Hunting) A note blown on the horn to encourage the hounds.

9. (Naut.) A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate, to summon the sailors to duty.

10. (Fowling) The cry of a bird; also a noise or cry in imitation of a bird; or a pipe to call birds by imitating their note or cry.

11. (Amer. Land Law) A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land.

12. The privilege to demand the delivery of stock, grain, or any commodity, at a fixed, price, at or within a certain time agreed on. [Brokers' Cant]

13. See Assessment, 4.

At call, or On call, liable to be demanded at any moment without previous notice; as money on deposit.

Call bird, a bird taught to allure others into a snare.

Call boy (a) A boy who calls the actors in a theater; a boy who transmits the orders of the captain of a vessel to the engineer, helmsman, etc. (b) A waiting boy who answers a cal, or cames at the ringing of a bell; a bell boy.

Call note, the note naturally used by the male bird to call the female. It is artificially applied by birdcatchers as a decoy. --Latham.

Call of the house (Legislative Bodies), a calling over the names of members, to discover who is absent, or for other purposes; a calling of names with a view to obtaining the ayes and noes from the persons named.

Call to the bar, admission to practice in the courts.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Call

(1.) To cry for help, hence to pray (Gen. 4:26). Thus men are said to "call upon the name of the Lord" (Acts 2:21; 7:59; 9:14; Rom. 10:12; 1 Cor. 1:2). (2.) God calls with respect to men when he designates them to some special office (Ex. 31:2; Isa. 22:20; Acts 13:2), and when he invites them to accept his offered grace (Matt. 9:13; 11:28; 22:4). In the message of the gospel his call is addressed to all men, to Jews and Gentiles alike (Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Rom. 9:24, 25). But this universal call is not inseparably connected with salvation, although it leaves all to whom it comes inexcusable if they reject it (John 3:14-19; Matt. 22:14). An effectual call is something more than the outward message of the Word of God to men. It is internal, and is the result of the enlightening and sanctifying influence of the Holy Spirit (John 16:14; Acts 26: 18; John 6:44), effectually drawing men to Christ, and disposing and enabling them to receive the truth (John 6:45; Acts 16:14; Eph. 1:17).

Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary
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