call-up
noun
an order to report for active military service.
call-up
American
[kawl-uhp]
/ ˈkɔlˌʌp /
noun
-
call-ups
plural
-
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.
call up
British
verb
-
to summon to report for active military service, as in time of war
-
(tr) to recall (something); evoke
his words called up old memories
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(tr) to bring or summon (people, etc) into action
to call up reinforcements
-
to telephone
noun
call up
Idioms
-
Summon to military service, as in He was called up for active duty . [Late 1600s]
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Cause to remember, bring to mind, as in These stories call up old times . [c. 1700] Also see call to mind .
-
Telephone someone, as in I'll call up the theater and find out about tickets . [Late 1800s]
-
Retrieve data from a computer memory, as in I asked him to call up the last quarter's sales figures . [Second half of 1900s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of call-up
First recorded in 1625–35; noun use of verb phrase call up
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Kane never looked back after scoring 21 top-flight goals the following season - and earning his first England call-up in March 2015.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
It was De Paula’s bat that earned him a call-up when Shohei Ohtani landed on the injured list.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
Rio Ngumoha's first senior call-up will certainly add an air of unpredictability to Tuchel's options.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
Pride hit .444 with three extra-base hits and five RBIs in nine at-bats as a September call-up for the Expos in 1993.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026
Because of Margot’s call-up notice, the plan had to be moved up ten days, which meant we’d have to make do with less orderly rooms.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
He can also call up pronunciation guides for players on all 30 major league teams, though he’s found the radio broadcasters for the visiting clubs are often more helpful.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 20, 2026
Many people do not have primary care physicians, and often those who do cannot easily call up their doctors to ask questions.
From Slate ● Aug. 26, 2026
Since those games, he accepted an England Under-17 call up last year and has four goals in nine appearances, scoring on his debut against Venezuela.
From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026
Translations are necessarily interpretations, and what these men and women saw in Kafka call up signal themes of the 20th century.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
I know that every minute I wait is a chance for Miss Celia to call up Miss Hilly.
From "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett
Across the 11 games played in League One and League Two on Saturday – nine postponed because of international call-ups – only three had attendances less than their home average for the season.
From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026
League One carries on playing unless clubs get three call-ups which meet the EFL's criteria, then a postponement can be requested.
From BBC ● Sep. 21, 2026
So, when manager Dave Roberts was asked in Detroit whether the Dodgers would consider setting up a left-field platoon with the team’s September call-ups, he said yes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 16, 2026
As expected, Stoke City defender Luke Graham and Sevilla striker Robbie Ure receive their first senior call-ups.
From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026
By late August, it was obvious Freeman would be among the Braves’ call-ups when rosters expanded on Sept. 1.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
