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call collect

(US, transitive) To call (someone) in this way.

ˈkɔl ˈkɑlɛkt149 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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#1·Apr 27, 2026

(US, transitive) To call (someone) in this way.

Please call me to let me know you’re safe — you’re welcome to call me collect.
Cluster: general
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#2·Apr 27, 2026

(US, intransitive) To make a telephone call in which the cost of the call is paid by the person receiving the call; to place a collect call.

In the days of payphones, if you had no coins, you could call collect and hope that the callee would accept the charges.
For parents

Call collect means: To make a telephone call in which the cost of the call is paid by the person receiving the call; to place a collect call.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. As a place or proper-name reference it is purely descriptive. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

call collect means: To make a telephone call in which the cost of the call is paid by the person receiving the call; to place a collect call.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.

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