call-up

[ kawl-uhp ]
/ ˈkɔlˌʌp /

noun

an order to report for active military service.
the number of persons drafted during a specific period of time: The November call-up was set at 15,000.
a call or urging to service.

Origin of call-up

First recorded in 1625–35; noun use of verb phrase call up

Definition for call up (2 of 2)

Origin of call

1200–50; late Middle English callen, probably < Old Norse kalla to call out, conflated with Old English (West Saxon) ceallian to shout; cognate with Middle Dutch kallen to talk, Old High German kallôn to shout, akin to Old English -calla herald, Irish gall swan, OCS glasŭ voice

synonym study for call

2, 3, 12. Call, invite, summon imply requesting the presence or attendance of someone at a particular place. Call is the general word: to call a meeting. To invite is to ask someone courteously to come as a guest, a participant, etc., leaving the person free to refuse: to invite guests to a concert; to invite them to contribute to a fund. Summon implies sending for someone, using authority or formality in making the request and (theoretically) not leaving the person free to refuse: to summon a witness, members of a committee, etc.

OTHER WORDS FROM call

un·called, adjective well-called, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH call

call caul cull

British Dictionary definitions for call up (1 of 2)

call up

verb (adverb)

to summon to report for active military service, as in time of war
(tr) to recall (something); evoke his words called up old memories
(tr) to bring or summon (people, etc) into action to call up reinforcements
to telephone

noun call-up

  1. a general order to report for military service
  2. the number of men so summoned

British Dictionary definitions for call up (2 of 2)

call
/ (kɔːl) /

verb

noun

Word Origin for call

Old English ceallian; related to Old Norse kalla, Old High German kallōn, Old Slavonic glasǔ voice

Idioms and Phrases with call up (1 of 2)

call up

1

Summon to military service, as in He was called up for active duty. [Late 1600s]

2

Cause to remember, bring to mind, as in These stories call up old times. [c. 1700] Also see call to mind.

3

Telephone someone, as in I'll call up the theater and find out about tickets. [Late 1800s]

4

Retrieve data from a computer memory, as in I asked him to call up the last quarter's sales figures. [Second half of 1900s]

Idioms and Phrases with call up (2 of 2)

call