call out

See also: callout and call-out

English

Pronunciation

Audio (AU) (file)

Verb

call out (third-person singular simple present calls out, present participle calling out, simple past and past participle called out)

(transitive, idiomatic) To specify, especially in detail.
They call out 304 stainless steel in the drawing, but the part was made from aluminum.
(transitive, idiomatic) To order into service; to summon into service.
Synonym: summon

The Governor called out the National Guard.
- 1984, Nena, 99 Red Balloons (lyrics written by Kevin McAlea)
  Ninety-nine Decision Street
  Ninety-nine ministers meet
  To worry, worry, super scurry
  Call the troops out in a hurry
(intransitive, transitive) To yell out; to vocalize audibly; announce.
- 1971, Carole King, “You’ve Got A Friend”, Tapestry, Ode Records
  You just call out my name / And you know wherever I am / I'll come running to see you again.
(transitive, idiomatic, colloquial) To challenge, criticize, denounce.
Synonyms: denounce, point out, charge

He was very insulting. Finally Jack called him out and shut him up.

She called them out on their lies.
- 2022 January 26, Paul Stephen, “Network News: Government's IRP claims condemned as "dishonest"”, in RAIL, number 949, page 7:
  He added: "We've always had spin, especially from Government. But this is not spin. This is dishonesty and so it's our rail media's urgent responsibility to call it out because non-specialist journalists across the country will report this and gradually these untruths will be accepted.
(intransitive, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut) To contact one's workplace and announce that one is unable to attend work. Regionalism short for call out sick; much more commonly: call in sick.
- 2012, Earliecia J. Ebron, Regress:
  I had to call out from work. […] I barely ate yesterday. The only thing that stayed in my stomach was soup and crackers.
- 2015, Brasford Love, My Life: The Journey to Here:
  I had to call out from work a few Saturdays to Dj at kid's party because they would normally start somewhere around 4:00 p.m.
- 2015, Pearley Rufus-Lusan, The Baby Boomer Nurse:
  On this particular day, I felt ill, mostly from exhaustion, and had to call out from work. This callout caused a stir and a display of animosity.

Usage notes

Bus operators are said to "call out" a stop when they announce that it will be the next available stop; synonyms of call out are not typically used.