caller
caller — noun
1. the person at the other end of a telephone line — the one who has dialled a numb
the person at the other end of a telephone line — the one who has dialled a number, rather than the one who picks up.
Aiko told the caller to ring back after lunch.
tell + the caller + to-infinitive
Our screen lights up when an unknown caller is on the line.
collocation: unknown caller
The radio host invited the next caller to share her opinion on live air.
Most callers hung up before the support team could answer.
Yusuf could not recognise the caller's voice through the static.
- recipient
the person who answers the call
文法句型
the caller (subject)
an unknown caller
用法筆記
Refers to the person who started the call. The person who answers is usually called 'the recipient' or simply 'the person who picked up'.
常見錯誤
2. someone who comes to the door of a house, office, or shop for a short visit — of
someone who comes to the door of a house, office, or shop for a short visit — often briefly, on business or to deliver something.
Mrs Patel asked the housekeeper to send the caller through to the study.
send the caller through — formal household register
We had three callers at the door before breakfast on Sunday.
callers at the door + time frame
Theo greeted every caller with a polite bow and a small cup of tea.
The vicar wrote down the names of all his callers in a leather notebook.
文法句型
have + a caller
a caller at the door
用法筆記
Slightly old-fashioned and formal compared with 'visitor'. Common in British novels, vicarages, and formal household contexts; rare in everyday modern speech.
常見錯誤
3. the person at a square dance, barn dance, or similar folk event whose job is to
the person at a square dance, barn dance, or similar folk event whose job is to shout out each move in time with the music so that the dancers know what to do next.
Priya followed the caller as she shouted 'swing your partner' across the barn.
caller + shouted instruction in quotes
A cheerful caller stood on the small stage with a microphone in one hand.
scene-setting: stage + microphone
Without a good caller, the dancers quickly lost the rhythm and bumped into each other.
The festival hires a different caller for each evening of country dancing.
- prompter
broader; can name anyone who calls out cues
文法句型
the caller + leads / shouts / signals
用法筆記
Specific to traditional folk dance contexts (square dance, contra dance, barn dance). Outside those scenes the word will not be understood without explanation.
常見錯誤
4. the person running a bingo session, whose job is to draw each numbered ball at r
the person running a bingo session, whose job is to draw each numbered ball at random and announce the number aloud so players can mark it on their cards.
Granny Hana waited eagerly as the caller read out 'two fat ladies, eighty-eight'.
caller + read out + bingo phrase
The caller paused for a moment so the older players could check their cards.
caller + paused — pacing the game
At the village hall, the local butcher always volunteered to be the caller.
A loud cheer went up the moment the caller said 'house!'
- bingo announcer
common American alternative
文法句型
the caller + reads / announces / picks
用法筆記
Specific to bingo and similar number-draw games. In American English the same role is also called the 'bingo announcer'.
常見錯誤
5. a bird, frog, or other creature that produces a loud, high-pitched cry — usually
a bird, frog, or other creature that produces a loud, high-pitched cry — usually to warn other animals, mark territory, or attract a mate.
The little tree frog is the noisiest caller in the rainforest at dusk.
noisiest caller + habitat detail
Rohan recorded several dawn callers from his tent in the forest.
dawn callers — collocation for early-morning birds
Female birds often choose the loudest caller in the group as their mate.
The howler monkey is among the most powerful callers of the entire jungle.
- vocaliser
scientific term used in animal-behaviour studies
文法句型
a loud / persistent / dawn caller
用法筆記
Mostly used in nature writing, field biology, and bird-watching guides. In ordinary speech people say 'a noisy bird' or 'a loud frog' instead.
常見錯誤
caller — adjective
1. freshly caught or freshly gathered — used in Scottish and northern English speec
freshly caught or freshly gathered — used in Scottish and northern English speech, especially of fish, shellfish, or other food brought straight from the sea or land.
Old Mrs Buchan praised the caller herring she had bought down by the harbour.
caller herring — classic Scots collocation
The fishmonger shouted that his caller oysters were the best in Edinburgh.
caller oysters — attributive use
Her grandmother only cooked with caller fish straight from the morning boats.
A small sign at the dock promised caller crab and lobster every Friday.
- fresh
the standard everyday word in modern English
- newly caught
neutral, descriptive phrase that any reader will understand
- stale
no longer fresh
文法句型
caller + noun (fish, herring, oysters)
用法筆記
A Scots and dialect word, mostly seen today on harbour signs, in poetry, or in regional cookery writing. Modern English speakers will say 'fresh' instead.
常見錯誤
2. pleasantly cool and refreshing — used mainly in older Scottish writing about win
pleasantly cool and refreshing — used mainly in older Scottish writing about wind, water, or weather that brings a welcome drop in temperature.
Leila stepped onto the porch and breathed in the caller air from the moors.
caller air + place phrase
A caller breeze rolled in off the sea and cooled the harbour at sunset.
caller breeze + verb roll in
The hill walkers drank caller water straight from a stream above the village.
Robert Burns praised the caller wind that swept across the Ayrshire fields.
- cool
neutral and modern
- refreshing
stresses the pleasant restoring effect
- stuffy
warm and lacking fresh air
文法句型
caller + noun (air, breeze, water)
用法筆記
Strongly literary and dialectal. Outside Scots poetry or regional speech, modern writers prefer 'cool', 'fresh', or 'crisp'.