Phrase guide

beck and call

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

Summons and control, in a position of servitude or as an attendant.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Examples

  • At his beck and call, he had a small fleet of waiters and servants.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Danish: hoppe og springe for en — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Danish: stå på pinde for en — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Dutch: iemand op zijn wenken bedienen — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • German: (freie) Verfügung — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Hungarian: egyetlen szavára/füttyentésére — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Hungarian: rendelkezésére/szolgálatára áll — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Hungarian: lesi minden kívánságát — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Hungarian: pöccre — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Polish: bycie na czyjeś zawołanie — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Portuguese: à disposição — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant
  • Russian: на побегу́шках (na pobegúškax) — summons and control, in a position as an attendant or servant