Page 74 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary
P. 74
C
callŁa meeting to askŁthat people assem- callŁofŁnature the needŁto go to the lava-
ble forŁaŁmeeting;Łto request that aŁmeet- tory.Ł(Humorous.) Stop the car here! I
ingŁbe held.Ł The mØyor called a młet- have to answer the call of nature. There
ing to discuss the problłm. I’ll be callng was no break in the agenda to take account
a młeting of the town council to discuss the of the call of nature.
new buildng project.
callŁon someone to visit someone.Ł I havł
callŁa spadeŁa spade to callŁsàmethingŁby to call on my aunt this SundØy. Bill
itsŁ right name; to speakŁ franklyŁ about called on his brother in the hosptal.
sàmething, evenŁ if it isŁ unpleasant.Ł cyll out (tł someone) to shout to someone.
Well, I believe it’s time to call a spade a Mike called out to Tom that there was
spade. We are just avoidng the issue. a telłphone call for him. I heard some-
Let’s call a spade a spade. The man is a one call out, but I could see no one.
liar.
cyll someone dłwn to reprimand a person;
cyll for someone ortsomething 1. to arrive to to bawl someone out. The teacher had
collect or pick up a person or a thing. to call Sally down in front of everybody.
(UsedŁ especiallyŁ whenŁ yàuŁ are to pick “I wish you wouldà’t call me down in
sàmeone up and are acting as an escort.) public,” cried Sally.
I will call for you about eight this eve-
ning. The messenger will call for your cyll someone nameð to callŁaŁpersàn un-
reply in the morning. 2. to need,Łrequire, pleasant or insultingŁ names.Ł (Usually
or demandŁsomethingŁorŁthe servicesŁof viewed as a juvnile act.) Mommy! John
someone.Ł The recipe calls for two cupo is callng me names again! We’ll never
of flour. This job calls for someone with głt anywhere by callng one another
good eyesight. names.
cyll someone on the carpet to reprimand a
callŁitŁa day to quit work and go home; to prsàn.Ł(The phrase presentsŁimagesŁof
sayŁthat aŁday’sŁworkŁhasŁbeenŁcompleted. aŁprsàn calledŁinto the boss’s carpeted
I’m Łired. Let’s call t a dØy. The boss office for a reprimand.) One more error
was mad becauoe Tom called it a dØy at like that and the boss will call you on the
noon and włnt home.
carpłt. I’m sorry it went wrong. I really
hope he doesn’t call me on the carpłt again.
callŁitŁa night to end what one is doing at
night andŁgo [home]bto bed.Ł At mid- cyll someone ortsomething in to callŁon the spe-
night, I called it a night and włnt to bed. cialŁtalents,Łabilities,ŁorŁpowerŁof some-
Guest after guest called it a night, and one or something. They had to call a
at last we were alone. new doctor in. T Yes, they had to call in a
specialist. T They had to call in a hugł
callŁitŁquits to quit; to resignŁfromŁsome- tractor to move the boulder.
thing;Łto announce that one isŁquitting.
(Infàrmal.) OkØy! I’ve had enough! I’m cyll someone ortsomething into queðtion to
callng it quits. Time to go home, John. cause sàmeone or somethingŁto be eval-
Let’s call it quits. uated;Ł to examine or reexamine the
59