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Synonyms

cattle call

American  

noun

Slang.

  1. a theatrical audition that is open to everyone, especially to those who do not belong to a theatrical union.

Etymology

Origin of cattle call

First recorded in 1950–55

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.

That’s why the agency had to put out its cattle call for the Ukrainians.

From Washington Times • Oct. 10, 2022

I auditioned, it was a cattle call for a bunch of young kids.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 19, 2021

The Murillos weren't satisfied with the experience they had at the first clinic, which Andrea compared to a cattle call.

From Salon • Aug. 22, 2020

And the ensemble’s performance on television — in which each dancer in a cattle call audition routine somehow stood out as a quivering individual — palpably made clear what all the excitement was about.

From New York Times • Jun. 4, 2020

"Then what do they call a cattle call?"

From "The View From Saturday" by E.L. Konigsburg

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.