call down
C1 formal separable transitive
In simple words
Ask (often from God or fate) for something bad to happen to someone, or scold someone strongly.
Literal meaning: To call something downward — as if beckoning a force from above.
Meanings
1 C1
idiomatic
formal
To pray for or invoke something, especially divine punishment or wrath, to fall upon someone.
"In his anger, the old priest called down the wrath of heaven upon his betrayers."
Grammar: separable
2 C1
idiomatic
formal
To severely reprimand or scold someone.
"The sergeant called the recruit down in front of the entire platoon for disobeying orders."
Grammar: separable
Usage notes
The 'invoke' sense is literary and somewhat archaic — found in religious, poetic, or dramatic contexts. The 'reprimand' sense is also somewhat formal and old-fashioned. Both senses are rare in everyday speech.
Commonly used with
wrath curse punishment blessing reprimand anger
Forms
Base
call down
I/you/we/they
3rd person
calls down
he/she/it
Past simple
called down
yesterday
Past participle
called down
have + pp
-ing form
calling down
continuous
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Synonyms
invoke curse imprecate reprimand rebuke upbraid
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