Englishfor English speakers
retrieve
Verb
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If you retrieve something, you go and get it back.
He went into the classroom to retrieve his textbook.
The clerk retrieved the item from the back room.
call
Verb
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If you call someone, you contact them using a telephone.
Can you call me tonight at about 8:00?
We called 911 and the police came in five minutes.
I can't talk now. I'll call back later.
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If you call to someone, you use your voice to make them notice you.
I can't see you. Call out to me so I can find you.
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If you call someone or something mathx/math, you say they are mathx/math.
If you ever tell anyone that, I'll call you a liar.
The kids at school called him an asshole.
Nobody would even call him good-looking.
They called it the most important hockey game ever.
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If somebody is called something, that is their name.
Their daughter's called Mai.
She's a beautiful baby. What do you call her?
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If you call somebody somewhere, you ask or tell them to come there.
She called me to her office.
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If you call a meeting, a stop, etc., you say you want one to happen.
I've called a meeting for tomorrow, and I'd like you to be there.
Coach Dan Bylsma called a timeout to give his five players a rest.
call
Noun
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A call is a time when you use the telephone to contact someone.
After she made the phone call, she left the office.
I received three calls about the car I was selling.
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A visit to someone.
I paid a call to a friend.
The doctor does not do house calls.
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A cry or shout.
He heard a call from the other side of the room.
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The cry of a bird or animal.
Cuckoo birds have a unique call.
from
Preposition
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When something is from someone, the person gave or sent it.
I got a gift from my grandmother today.
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When someone is from a place, that's where they started.
I am Chinese. I come from Hunan province.
Sorry I'm late. I just came from school.
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You use from to talk about distances between thing in space or time.
Saturn is far from earth.
School is 5km from my home.
The year 2515 is a long time from now.
hold
Verb
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When you hold something, you put it in your hand and keep it there.
He held the pen tightly as he wrote the letter.
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When you hold something, you keep it in one place and do not let it move away.
The police hold people who do crimes in prison.
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If you hold someone accountable/responsible/liable, you put the responsibility for something on them.
It's not clear if parents should be held responsible for the problems their children cause.
We are trying to finally get tobacco companies held responsible for killing people.
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/ If something holds true/good, it is or continues to be true.
The drug extends life for mice. If this holds true in humans as well, it will be a great advance.
He might be able to do it, but I don't think that holds for most men.
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If you hold somebody prisoner/hostage/captive, you do not allow them to go free.
Police in Luxembourg say a gunman holding 29 children hostage is demanding a mini-bus to take him to the airport.