Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Call \Call\ (k[add]l), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Called} (k[add]ld);
   p. pr. & vb. n. {Calling}] [OE. callen, AS. ceallian; akin to
   Icel. & Sw. kalla, Dan. kalde, D. kallen to talk, prate, OHG.
   kall[=o]n to call; cf. Gr. ghry`ein to speak, sing, Skr. gar
   to praise. Cf. {Garrulous}.]
   1. To command or request to come or be present; to summon;
      as, to call a servant.

            Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain --Shak.

   2. To summon to the discharge of a particular duty; to
      designate for an office, or employment, especially of a
      religious character; -- often used of a divine summons;
      as, to be called to the ministry; sometimes, to invite;
      as, to call a minister to be the pastor of a church.

            Paul . . . called to be an apostle    --Rom. i. 1.

            The Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul
            for the work whereunto I have called them. --Acts
                                                  xiii. 2.

   3. To invite or command to meet; to convoke; -- often with
      together; as, the President called Congress together; to
      appoint and summon; as, to call a meeting of the Board of
      Aldermen.

            Now call we our high court of Parliament. --Shak.

   4. To give name to; to name; to address, or speak of, by a
      specifed name.

            If you would but call me Rosalind.    --Shak.

            And God called the light Day, and the darkness he
            called Night.                         --Gen. i. 5.

   5. To regard or characterize as of a certain kind; to
      denominate; to designate.

            What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.
                                                  --Acts x. 15.

   6. To state, or estimate, approximately or loosely; to
      characterize without strict regard to fact; as, they call
      the distance ten miles; he called it a full day's work.

            [The] army is called seven hundred thousand men.
                                                  --Brougham.

   7. To show or disclose the class, character, or nationality
      of. [Obs.]

            This speech calls him Spaniard.       --Beau. & Fl.

   8. To utter in a loud or distinct voice; -- often with off;
      as, to call, or call off, the items of an account; to call
      the roll of a military company.

            No parish clerk who calls the psalm so clear. --Gay.

   9. To invoke; to appeal to.

            I call God for a witness.             --2 Cor. i. 23
                                                  [Rev. Ver. ]

   10. To rouse from sleep; to awaken.

             If thou canst awake by four o' the clock. I prithee
             call me. Sleep hath seized me wholly. --Shak.

   {To call a bond}, to give notice that the amount of the bond
      will be paid.

   {To call a party} (Law), to cry aloud his name in open court,
      and command him to come in and perform some duty requiring
      his presence at the time on pain of what may befall him.
      

   {To call back}, to revoke or retract; to recall; to summon
      back.

   {To call down}, to pray for, as blessing or curses.

   {To call forth}, to bring or summon to action; as, to call
      forth all the faculties of the mind.

   {To call in},
       (a) To collect; as, to call in debts or money; ar to
           withdraw from cirulation; as, to call in uncurrent
           coin.
       (b) To summon to one's side; to invite to come together;
           as, to call in neighbors.

   {To call (any one) names}, to apply contemptuous names (to
      any one).

   {To call off}, to summon away; to divert; as, to call off the
      attention; to call off workmen from their employment.

   {To call out}.
       (a) To summon to fight; to challenge.
       (b) To summon into service; as, to call out the militia.
           

   {To call over}, to recite separate particulars in order, as a
      roll of names.

   {To call to account}, to demand explanation of.

   {To call to mind}, to recollect; to revive in memory.

   {To call to order}, to request to come to order; as:
       (a) A public meeting, when opening it for business.
       (b) A person, when he is transgressing the rules of
           debate.

   {To call to the bar}, to admit to practice in courts of law.
      

   {To call up}.
       (a) To bring into view or recollection; as to call up the
           image of deceased friend.
       (b) To bring into action or discussion; to demand the
           consideration of; as, to call up a bill before a
           legislative body.

   Syn: To name; denominate; invite; bid; summon; convoke;
        assemble; collect; exhort; warn; proclaim; invoke;
        appeal to; designate.

   Usage: {To Call}, {Convoke}, {Summon}. Call is the generic
          term; as, to call a public meeting. To convoke is to
          require the assembling of some organized body of men
          by an act of authority; as, the king convoked
          Parliament. To summon is to require attendance by an
          act more or less stringent anthority; as, to summon a
          witness.