call on

present singular third person calls on · participle present calling on · participle past called on · past called on

1. idiomatictransitiveTo visit (a person); to pay a call to.

   I really should call on my aunt more often.

   1 more example

   Valerie, call on me / Call on me, Valerie / Come and see me / I'm the same boy I used to be

   1982, Steve Winwood, “Valerie”, in Talking Back to the Night

   Synonyms: pay a visit, visit, wait on

2. idiomatictransitiveTo select (a student in a classroom, etc.) to provide an answer.

   He sat there, baffled, hoping nobody would call on him.

   1 more example

   “Mr. Rayney, Mr. Rayney,” the reporters clamored, and hands shot up. ¶ Charlotte called on the reporter from the L.A. Times, promising herself that she would lead with the OC Register reporter next time.

   2007, Barbara Seranella, Deadman's Switch, Thomas Dunne Books, →ISBN, pages 33–4

3. idiomatictransitiveTo request or ask something of (a person); to select for a task.

   The king called on his subjects to take up arms and defend the kingdom.

   4 more examples

   The alma mater had again called on her sons in her hour of need and again they had responded.

   1909 October 14, Edward Kimball Hall, speech, in The Inauguration of Ernest Fox Nichols, D.Sc., LL.D., as president of Dartmouth College, The Rumford Press, page 88

   Because of the drastic reduction in the use of petrol and tyres the railway is now called on to effect practically all the island's transport, with the exception of a small amount handled by one coastwise steamer.

   1945 November and December, H. R. Fox, “The Jamaica Railway, 1845-1945”, in Railway Magazine, page 315

   President Kennedy imposed a naval blockade on Cuba to prevent delivery of the missiles and called on his allies for support.

   1974, Bruce Thordarson, Lester Pearson: Diplomat and Politician, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 120

   De Gaulle called on the military to break with their hierarchical superiors and on the other French citizens to distance themselves from their government.

   2002, Bruno Coppieters, “Legitimate Authority”, chapter 2 of Bruno Coppieters and Nick Fotion (editors), Moral Constraints on War: Principles and Cases, Lexington Books, page 46

   Synonyms: call upon

4. idiomatictransitiveTo have recourse to.

   Exhausted, he called on his last ounce of strength.

   1 more example

   The young adventurer set out on the new planet alone, thankful that she could still call on her captain for advice in case of emergency.

   Synonyms: call upon, summon up

5. ditransitiveidiomatictransitiveTo correct; to point out an error or untruth.

   The salesman persisted in quoting a rate higher than was listed, until we called him on it.

   Synonyms: correct, call out