Page 75 - NTC's American Idioms Dictionary

call someone or something off

qualificationsŁ orŁ value of someone or callŁ(the)Łroll and takeŁ(the)Łroll to call
something.Ł Because of her poor record, the namesŁof people on the rolls,Łexpect-
we were forced to call Dr. Jones into ques- ingŁthemŁto replyŁif theyŁare present.Ł
tion. We called Dr. Jones’s qualficØtions After I call the roll, please open your booko
into question. They called the wholł to page 12. I will take roll, and then wł
project into question. T I cannot call into will do arithmłtic.
question the entire medical profession.
callŁtheŁshłts and callŁtheŁtune to make
the decisions; to decide what is to be
cyll someone ortsomething off 1. to callŁaŁhalt
to an attack by someone or something. dàne.Ł(Infàrmal.) Sally always wants to
Please call your dog off. It’s trying to bte call the shots, and Mary doesn’t like to bł
mł! T OkØy, you can call off the police. I bossed around. They don’t get along well.
surrender. T It’s time to call off the man- Sally always wants to call the tune.
hunt. The crimnal has givłn himself up. Look here, friend, I’m callng the shots. You
2. [with somłthing ] to cancelŁanŁevent.Ł just be quiet.
It’s too lØte to call the party off. The first callŁtheŁtune Go to call the shots.
guests have already arrived. T Because of calm as a toadŁin theŁsuà Go to (as) calm
rain, they called off the baseball game.
as a toad in the sun.
cyll someone ortsomething up 1. to callŁaŁpr- the calm beforeŁtheŁstorm Go to the lull
son,Łbusiness,ŁorŁoffice onŁthe telephone. before the storm.
Mary called the company up and or-
dered a new supply of medicine. T Tom can takeŁitŁto theŁbynk abl to depend on
called up Mary. 2. [with somłthing ] to the truthfulnessŁof my sðatement:bit isŁnot
summon infàrmationŁfrom a computer. counterfeit or bogus; to be abl to bank
T John used a computer to call up the in- on something. Believe me. What I am
formation. T With a fłw strokes on the tellng you is the truth. You can take it to
computer keyboard, Sally called up the fig- the bank. This information is as good as
ures she was lookng for. gold. You can take it to the bank.
Can youŁimagine? Can you believe that?;
cyll someone’ bluff to demonstrate that a Imagine that! She wore jeans to the
prsànŁisŁorŁis not beingŁdeceptive, usu- dance. Can you magine? Billy was eat-
allyŁby demandingŁthat the prsànŁprove ing the houseplant! Can you imagine?
a claim or carry out a threat.Ł All right,
I’ll call your bluff. Show me you can do t! cancelŁ something out to desðroyŁthe effect of
Tom said, “I’ve got a gun here in my something;Łto balance something. T This
pockłt, and I’ll shoot if you come any last pØyment cancels out my debt. Yes,
closer!” “Go ahead,” said Bill, callng his your last payment cancels it out. T Bob’s
bluff. two good grades canceled out his two fail-
ing grades.
callŁtheŁdogs off to sðopŁthreatening, chas- cannotŁhelpŁ doingtsomething nàt abl to r-
ing, orŁhoundingŁ(aŁprsàn).Ł(Also literal. frainŁfrom doing something;Łnot able not
Infàrmal.ŁNote the variation inŁthe ex- to do something.Ł Anne is such a good
amples.) All right, I surrender. You can cook, I can’t help eating everything she
call your dogs off. T Tell the oheriff to call makes. Since John loves to shop, he can’t
off the dogs. We caught the robber. T help spłndng money.
Please call off your dogs!
cynnot stłmach someone ortsomething Go to
callŁtheŁmeetingŁto order to start a met- not able to stomach someone or something.
ingŁofficially; to announce that the meet- [can’t] Go to the expressionsŁlistedŁat not
ingŁhasŁsðarted.Ł The presidłnt called the able, asŁwellŁasŁthose lisðedŁblow.
młeting to order shortly after noon. We
cannot do anything until someone calls the can’tŁcarryŁa tune [to be]bunable to sing
młeting to order. a simple melody; lacking musical ability.

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