call in
B1Neutral to Semi-Formal
Definition
Meaning
to telephone a place, especially a workplace or an organization, to give or request information.
To request someone's presence or to involve someone; to withdraw something from circulation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a separable phrasal verb (e.g., 'call the expert in' / 'call in the expert'). It covers concepts of summoning, consulting, and withdrawing.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor. The 'withdraw from circulation' sense is equally understood. 'Call in sick' is standard in both, though some AmE contexts might use 'call off sick'.
Connotations
In UK media, 'call in' (the army/police) often implies a serious situation requiring external authority.
Frequency
Equally frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[someone] call in [something/someone][someone] call [someone/something] inVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “call in a favour”
- “call in the cavalry (request dramatic help)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To report absence ('call in sick'), to request a consultant's services.
Academic
Used in case studies (e.g., 'the government called in experts').
Everyday
Telephoning your workplace, asking a friend to come over.
Technical
In banking/finance: to demand repayment of a loan ('call in a debt').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- I had to call in sick with a dreadful cold.
- The council decided to call in conservationists.
American English
- She called in to the radio show to win tickets.
- The bank called in all its outstanding loans.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- My mum called in to say she'll be late.
- The teacher called in the headmaster.
- If the problem continues, we'll have to call in a technician.
- He called in a favour to get the job.
- The central bank was forced to call in several high-risk loans.
- Several MPs have called in the decision for review.
- The curator called in a team of forensic art historians to authenticate the painting.
- The company's reckless spending finally called in its creditors.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a boss CALLING you to come INTO (IN) the office. You're being 'called in'.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMMUNICATION IS A CONDUIT (phoning in); SUMMONING IS PHYSICAL ATTRACTION (calling someone into a space).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation with 'звать' + 'в' for phone contexts. Use 'позвонить (на работу)' for 'call in sick'. For summoning, 'вызвать' or 'пригласить' is better.
Common Mistakes
- *I called in to him. (Use 'I called him in' or 'I called in for him')
- Confusing with 'call on' (visit) or 'call off' (cancel).
Practice
Quiz
In a financial context, 'to call in a loan' means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can say 'call in the doctor' or 'call the doctor in'.
'Call in' typically means to phone a central place or summon. 'Call up' often means to phone a person directly or to mobilize (e.g., for military service).
Yes, but usually as 'call in at' (a place) or 'call in on' (a person), more common in British English. E.g., 'I'll call in at the post office.'
It's irregular. The past is 'I called in sick.' The verb 'call' is regular, so it's 'called'.