to call
Preserved but no longer current.
Meaning · English
To invite: as, the trumpet calls. If honour calls, where'er she points the way, The sons of honour follow and obey.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “to call” mean?
To invite: as, the trumpet calls. If honour calls, where'er she points the way, The sons of honour follow and obey.
Is “to call” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.