called
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
An inflected form of call · past form.
How often you will meet it
Rank 250 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 89,333 times across 175,173 chapters — 0.042% of every word in the library.
It belongs to the first 500 words, the band worth learning before any other.
What it means
verb
- assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to also: name, know as, be known as They named their son DavidThe new school was named after the famous Civil Rights leader
- ascribe a quality to or give a name of a common noun that reflects a quality He called me a bastardShe called her children lazy and ungrateful
- get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone also: telephone, call up, phone, ring I tried to call you all nightTake two aspirin and call me in the morning
- utter a sudden loud cry also: shout, shout out, cry, yell, scream, holler she cried with pain when the doctor inserted the needleI yelled to her from the window but she couldn't hear me
- order, request, or command to come also: send for She was called into the director's officeCall the police!
- pay a brief visit also: visit, call in The mayor likes to call on some of the prominent citizens
called in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
-
It was only Gloria who called him Uncle Em.
Gloria and Treeless Street · Annie Hamilton Donnell · Chapter 1
-
It was, therefore, called by the people of the neighbourhood, the Golden River.
Famous Stories Every Child Should Know · Hamilton Wright [Editor] Mabie · Chapter 1
-
John, of course, good fellow though he is, could hardly be called a brilliant conversationalist.
The Mysterious Affair at Styles · Agatha Christie · Chapter 1
-
They never complained of assaults, and no mob was ever called into existence to avenge crimes against them.
The Red Record Tabulated Statistics · Ida B. Wells-Barnett · Chapter 1
-
These ladies, Miss Gascoigne and Miss Grey, had neither called upon nor taken the least notice of Miss Oakley.
Christian's Mistake · Dinah Maria Mulock Craik · Chapter 1