Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - call

 I. verb  Etymology: Middle English, from Old Norse kalla; akin to Old English hilde~a battle herald, Old High German kallon to talk loudly, Old Church Slavic glasu voice  Date: before 12th century  intransitive verb  1.  a. to speak in a loud distinct voice so as to be heard at a distance ; shout ~ for help  b. to make a request or demand ~ for an investigation  c. of an animal to utter a characteristic note or cry  d. to get or try to get into communication by telephone just ~ed to say hello — often used with up  e. to make a demand in card games (as for a particular card or for a show of hands)  f. to give the ~s for a square dance  2. to make a brief visit ~ed to pay his respects ~ed on a friend  transitive verb  1.  a.  (1) to utter in a loud distinct voice — often used with out ~ out a number  (2) to announce or read loudly or authoritatively ~ the roll ~ off a row of figures  (3) to announce the play-by-play of (as a football game)  b.  (1) to command or request to come or be present was ~ed to testify  (2) to cause to come ; bring ~s to mind an old saying  c. to summon to a particular activity, employment, or office was ~ed to active duty was ~ed to the bar of justice  d. to invite or command to meet ; convoke ~ a meeting  e. to rouse from sleep or summon to get up  f.  (1) to give the order for ; bring into action ~ a strike against the company ~ a pitchout  (2) to manage by giving the signals or orders that catcher ~s a good game  g.  (1) to make a demand in bridge for (a card or suit)  (2) to require (a player) to show the hand in poker by making an equal bet  (3) to challenge to make good on a statement  (4) to charge with or censure for an offense deserves to be ~ed on that  h. to attract (as game) by imitating the characteristic cry  i. to halt (as a baseball game) because of unsuitable conditions  j. to rule on the status of (as a pitched ball or a player's action) ~ balls and strikes ~ a base runner safe  k. to give the ~s for (a square dance) — often used with off  l.  (1) to demand payment of especially by formal notice ~ a loan  (2) to demand presentation of (as a bond or option) for redemption  m.  (1) to get or try to get in communication with by telephone ~ the doctor to make an appointment  (2) to generate signals for (a telephone number) in order to reach the party to whom the number is assigned ~ 911  (3) to make a signal to in order to transmit a message ~ the flagship  2.  a. to speak of or address by a specified name ; give a name to ~ her Kitty  b.  (1) to regard or characterize as of a certain kind ; consider can hardly be ~ed generous  (2) to estimate or consider for purposes of an estimate or for convenience ~ it an even dollar  c.  (1) to describe correctly in advance of or without knowledge of the event ; predict  (2) to name or specify in advance ~ the toss of a coin  3. to temporarily transfer control of computer processing to (as a subroutine or procedure)  Synonyms: see summon  II. noun  Date: 14th century  1.  a. an act of ~ing with the voice ; shout  b. an imitation of the cry of a bird or other animal made to attract it  c. an instrument used for ~ing a duck ~  d. the cry of an animal (as a bird)  2.  a. a request or command to come or assemble  b. a summons or signal on a drum, bugle, or pipe  c. admission to the bar as a barrister  d. an invitation to become the minister of a church or to accept a professional appointment  e. a divine vocation or strong inner prompting to a particular course of action  f. a summoning of actors to rehearsal the ~ is for 11 o'clock  g. the attraction or appeal of a particular activity, condition, or place the ~ of the wild  h. an order specifying the number of men to be inducted into the armed services during a specified period  i. the selection of a play in football  3.  a. demand, claim  b. need, justification there's no ~ for such behavior  c. a demand for payment of money  d. an option to buy a specified amount of a security (as stock) or commodity (as wheat) at a fixed price at or within a specified time — compare put 2  e. an instance of asking for something ; request many ~s for Christmas stories  4. roll ~  5. a short usually formal visit  6. the name or thing ~ed the ~ was heads  7. the act of ~ing in a card game  8. the act of ~ing on the telephone  9. a direction or a succession of directions for a square dance rhythmi~y ~ed to the dancers  10. a decision or ruling made by an official of a sports contest; also decision 1 a tough ~ to make  11. a temporary transfer of control of computer processing to a particular set of instructions (as a subroutine or procedure)