Definition of "call on" in English

Verb

1. To visit (a person); to pay a call to.

   • I really should call on my aunt more often.

2. To select (a student in a classroom, etc.) to provide an answer.

   • He sat there, baffled, hoping nobody would call on him.

3. To request or ask something of (a person); to select for a task.

   • The king called on his subjects to take up arms and defend the kingdom.

4. To have recourse to.

   • Exhausted, he called on his last ounce of strength.
   • The young adventurer set out on the new planet alone, thankful that she could still call on her captain for advice in case of emergency.

5. To correct; to point out an error or untruth.

   • The salesman persisted in quoting a rate higher than was listed, until we called him on it.