On call

Call Call, n. 1. The act of calling; -- usually with the voice, but often otherwise, as by signs, the sound of some instrument, or by writing; a summons; an entreaty; an invitation; as, a call for help; the bugle's call. ``Call of the trumpet.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

I rose as at thy call, but found thee not. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. A signal, as on a drum, bugle, trumpet, or pipe, to summon soldiers or sailors to duty. [1913 Webster]

3. (Eccl.) An invitation to take charge of or serve a church as its pastor. [1913 Webster]

4. A requirement or appeal arising from the circumstances of the case; a moral requirement or appeal. [1913 Webster]

Dependence is a perpetual call upon humanity. --Addison. [1913 Webster]

Running into danger without any call of duty. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

5. A divine vocation or summons. [1913 Webster]

St. Paul himself believed he did well, and that he had a call to it, when he persecuted the Christians. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

6. Vocation; employment.

Note: [In this sense, calling is generally used.] [1913 Webster]

7. A short visit; as, to make a call on a neighbor; also, the daily coming of a tradesman to solicit orders. [1913 Webster]

The baker's punctual call. --Cowper. [1913 Webster]

8. (Hunting) A note blown on the horn to encourage the hounds. [1913 Webster]

9. (Naut.) A whistle or pipe, used by the boatswain and his mate, to summon the sailors to duty. [1913 Webster]

10. (Fowling) The cry of a bird; also a noise or cry in imitation of a bird; or a pipe to call birds by imitating their note or cry. [1913 Webster]

11. (Amer. Land Law) A reference to, or statement of, an object, course, distance, or other matter of description in a survey or grant requiring or calling for a corresponding object, etc., on the land. [1913 Webster]

12. The privilege to demand the delivery of stock, grain, or any commodity, at a fixed, price, at or within a certain time agreed on. [Brokers' Cant] [1913 Webster]

13. See {Assessment}, 4. [1913 Webster]

{At call}, or {On call}, liable to be demanded at any moment without previous notice; as money on deposit.

{Call bird}, a bird taught to allure others into a snare.

{Call boy} (a) A boy who calls the actors in a theater; a boy who transmits the orders of the captain of a vessel to the engineer, helmsman, etc. (b) A waiting boy who answers a cal, or cames at the ringing of a bell; a bell boy.

{Call note}, the note naturally used by the male bird to call the female. It is artificially applied by birdcatchers as a decoy. --Latham.

{Call of the house} (Legislative Bodies), a calling over the names of members, to discover who is absent, or for other purposes; a calling of names with a view to obtaining the ayes and noes from the persons named.

{Call to the bar}, admission to practice in the courts. [1913 Webster]