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
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(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
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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]
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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:
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
For Rasool, Auqib's Test call-up carries significance far beyond one player.
From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026
Ryan, who made four major-league starts in 2024, has the stuff to compete in the majors, but health has kept him from another call-up.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026
Chalobah made an impressive start to life at Watford, earning a call-up to the senior England squad for the final round of 2018 World Cup qualifiers.
From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026
“Father has received a call-up notice from the SS,” she whispered.
From "The Diary of a Young Girl" by Anne Frank
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
They continually call up guys, have them make one appearance and then no matter how successful they are sent down for a “fresh arm.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 15, 2026
Asked whether he thinks she will take him up on the offer of playing tennis with George and Charlotte, Fery said: "Let's see, I don't know. Let's see if I get the call up."
From BBC ● Jul. 12, 2026
It says plenty that, instead of calling up a bowler immediately once the latter went down, they waited until mid-tournament to call up Smith, a batter.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2026
No way could she call up a girl she'd never even talked to.
From "The Lemonade War" by Jacqueline Davies
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
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
Rooney has spoken previously about some of Tuchel's call-ups for his World Cup squad and his "shock" at Harry Maguire's omission.
From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026
As well as Pattinson and Denton, there have been call-ups for Tottenham's Ella Morris and Manchester City's Naomi Layzell before they sustained lengthy injuries.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
From a new-look front row to first call-ups for Nathan Doak and Edwin Edogbo, there is a fresh feel to Ireland's squad.
From BBC ● Jan. 21, 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.
