Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
to throw away; to get rid of
depart
obtain
confirm
discard
TOEIC preparation test: Free online word games: Verb Noun Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

Expression "hard one to call"



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
Use of "GO" | Expression "rise with the season"
Listening exercises
Message
Author
Expression "hard one to call" #1 (permalink) Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:15 am   Expression "hard one to call"
 

Hello.
If someone says 'It's hard one to call', then does he or she mean 'It's hard to decide'?
I guessed so but my dictionary does not seem to say that 'call' has a meaning of 'decide'.
Thank you in advance!
Schoolofelectro
New Member


Joined: 08 Oct 2008
Posts: 2

"hard one to call" #2 (permalink) Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:33 am   "hard one to call"
 

Note that the correct phrase is "It's a hard one to call".

Yes, this is an idiom meaning 'hard to decide, or difficult to make a judgment about'.

The idiom comes from the world of sports, where referees have to make judgments and decisions about rules or violations during the game. Those decisions are known as 'calls'.

<edit>My dictionary (Merriam Webster) lists the following definition for 'call' that fit this idiom.

j : to rule on the status of (as a pitched ball or a player's action) *call balls and strikes* *call a base runner safe*
_________________
Plan to be spontaneous tomorrow.
***
Did you hear they arrested the Energizer Bunny on battery charges?
***
Skrej
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 03 Jul 2008
Posts: 863
Location: Not-quite exact central USA

Do you know how to use the relative pronoun?Are you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!How many different ways with words do you know? Subscribe to free email English courseEnglish grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skills
Expression "hard one to call" #3 (permalink) Wed Oct 08, 2008 9:00 am   Expression "hard one to call"
 

Thank you for your explanation and the correction as well!
Your reply helped a lot.
Maybe I have to add Merriam Webster to my dictionary collection Smile
Schoolofelectro
New Member


Joined: 08 Oct 2008
Posts: 2

Display posts from previous:   
Use of "GO" | Expression "rise with the season"
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms Expression "hard one to call" All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums
Where does the apostrophe go?present perfect vs present simpleexplicit vs apparentThey are/were great experiences"Owing to" vs "because of"Which choice is right, why? (- Grandma, I love you. - ...)quick answer please: is it (a) walkable distance?a tenant rents, the landlord...!Aske about Conditional sentencesThe meaning of 'Take the game to them'flip phone vs. clamshellmeaning of "pointedly"turn taking upTraffick vs. SmuggleQuestion marks: "how can I escape from this poverty?"on the first attempt vs. at the first attemptWhy the definite article in "mess with the Zohan"?The word "onion" as a countable nounExpression "hard one to call"

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail