call one’s shots— 1. tell in advance the result of a game, etc.: Nothing ever happens as John says it will. He is very poor at calling his shots. 2. announce what one is about to do; reveal one’s plans, etc. beforehand: You can hardly expect so adroit a politician to call his shots. call […]
Difference between Call of nature and Call of the wild
call of nature— 1. the urge to go and explore new (undeveloped) regions: I felt the call of nature most strongly and began, like the citizens in Hardy’s poem, to “dream of the south and west.” 2. (euph.) is used of a need to go to the toilet: He would suggest dropping in at the […]
Difference between Call of duty and Duty call
call of duty—smth. that a person is required to do by one’s moral or social obligations: It was cruel of me to ask him to recount the events of the fateful day but it was the call of duty. Cf.: (above and) beyond the call of duty—doing much more than should normally be expected of […]
Difference between Call names and Name names
call names—subject a person to angry or violent attack in words: He replied to my innocent jokes by calling names. name names—mention people (involved in some reprehensible activity) by name: Valachi has named names and drawn a master plan of the Syndicate (which the underworld refers to as Cosa Nostra). Note: The expression does not […]
Difference between Call in one’s chips and Cash in one’s chips
call in one’s chips—use one’s influence or social connections (to gain an advantage, etc.): That point needs making, before Mr. Clinton’s friends in the labor unions try to call in their chips. cash in one’s chips— 1. sell smth. in order to raise money: Many mutual fund investors picked up the phone yesterday, but decided […]
Difference between Call in on someone and Call on someone
call in on someone—pay a short visit (to a friend, etc.): We would call in on Patrick on the way to your mother’s. call on someone— 1. visit a person for business or official reasons: A doctor called on her and found she had come down with pneumonia. 2. appeal to a person for smth.: […]
Difference between Call girl and Call-button girl
call girl—a prostitute who makes appointments by phone: Police found the names of the call girls in classified ads and phone books. call-button girl—(sl.) a prostitute frequenting hotels: Prostitutes, “call-button girls” as they call themselves, roam from airport to airport, operating from the airport hotels.
Difference between Call boy and Call man
call boy— 1. a man who calls up actors in a theater for duty: Indignant denials were interrupted by the call-boy knocking on the door and calling for Second Act beginners. 2. a messenger on a steamer, in a hotel, etc.: He obtained summer work as a part-time messenger—a job referred to at that time […]
Difference between Call box (UK) and Call box (U.S.)
call box (UK)—(also: phone box) a telephone booth: Mrs. Johnson is now urging the woman to come forward, after the caller did not leave her contact number and phoned from a call box. call box (U.S.)—emergency telephone installed along the sides of many highways, on university campuses, etc.: Drivers can use call boxes in case […]
Difference between Bypass something and Pass something by
by-pass something— 1. make a detour (round a town, etc.): The scheme has been referred to as “the Selborne by-pass,” but it does not bypass Selborne at all. 2. avoid or ignore smth. (by using an alternative approach): I will now try to explain in detail how to bypass this problem. pass something by—walk past […]
Difference between By word of mouth and Mouth words
by word of mouth—hear about smth. from another person: I can’t remember seeing it advertised much, so most people probably hear about it by word of mouth. mouth words— 1. form words silently with one’s lips: Since the mansion was wired with microphones, Howard would mouth words silently when she wanted to have a private […]
Difference between By virtue of something and In virtue of something
by virtue of something—by means of smth.; through the agency of smth.: It was only by virtue of his indomitable willpower that he finally succeeded. in virtue of something—by reason of smth.; on account of smth.: He was given a position on the board in virtue of his long association with the company.