on call — available to be called upon for duty or service when needed
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: available to be called upon for duty or service when needed
Pronunciation (IPA): /ɑːn kɔːl/
Example Sentences
- The IT guy is always on call - even during his honeymoon, his phone keeps buzzing!
- Being a plumber on call means your dinner gets cold more often than it gets eaten hot.
- The maintenance team is on call throughout the holiday season.
on call
ADJECTIVE[/ɑːn kɔːl/]
available to be called upon for duty or service when needed
a tired doctor in scrubs sits relaxing in a chair while holding a buzzing pager that just activated. The doctor immediately jumps up from the comfortable position and rushes toward the door. The pager's urgent signal has interrupted the brief rest period. Other medical staff in the background also respond to their own alert devices. being available to be called upon for duty or service when needed
On call through the hall, she serves them all!
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The phrase combines 'on', a preposition indicating state or condition, with 'call', derived from Old Norse 'kalla' meaning 'to call' or 'to summon'. The modern sense of 'available to respond to urgent requests' developed with the invention of the telephone.
Breakdown
on (preposition indicating readiness or state) + call (from Old Norse kalla, meaning 'to summon' or 'to phone'). The compound denotes a state of availability to respond to calls or urgent demands.
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The IT guy is always on call - even during his honeymoon, his phone keeps buzzing!”
“Being a plumber on call means your dinner gets cold more often than it gets eaten hot.”
“The maintenance team is on call throughout the holiday season.”
“Our customer service representatives are available on call 24 hours a day.”
📚Related Words
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