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call in

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call in (to some place)

to telephone to some central place, such as one's place of work, as to check for messages. I have to call in to the office at noon. I will call in whenever I have a chance.

See also: call

call someone in

 (for something)

1. to request that someone come to have a talk. The manager called Karen in for a private meeting. The police called in Gary for questioning.

2. to request a consultation with a specialist in some field. (The person called probably will not "come in," but will work at another place.) We will have to call a heart specialist in for a consultation. We called in another specialist for an opinion.

See also: call

call someone or something in

 

1. to call on the special talents, abilities, or power of someone or something. They had to call a new doctor in. Yes, they had to call in a specialist.

2. Go to call someone or something into something.

See also: call

call something (back) in

 and call something in

to formally request (usually by mail) that something be returned. The car company called many cars back in for repairs. They called in a lot of cars.

See also: call

call in somebody

also call somebody in

to demand that someone come to do something specific The mayor called in the police to provide extra security for the conference. I can't afford to call the plumber in every day!

See also: call

call in

1. Summon for help or consultation, as in We've decided to call in a specialist to look at Father. [Second half of 1600s]

2. Withdraw from circulation, as in We're calling in all the old models. [Late 1500s]

3. Communicate by telephone, as in In this office salesmen must call in once a day. [Mid-1900s]

See also: call

call in

v.

1. To summon someone into a place: I went to the window and called the children in for dinner.

2. To summon someone or something for assistance or consultation: The hospital called in a specialist from out of town to examine the patient. The soldiers stood ready in case the protests turned violent and the police needed to call them in.

3. To make a telephone call to a place: Viewers called in to the television station to complain. Has the boss called in today?

4. To conduct some transaction by telephone: I called in my order to the restaurant so that it would be ready when I arrived. The new telephone system will allow customers to call their orders in rather than submitting them by mail.

5. To withdraw something that one has issued or sent out: The library called in the book I borrowed because a professor urgently needed it. Coin collectors began saving silver dollars as soon as the government called them in.

See also: call