Meaning & use
call-out service
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
a service in which a worker comes to your home or location when you call for help
Grammar: Countable; use 'a call-out service' for one company or arrangement, and 'call-out services' for more than one.
Patterns
- a call-out service for something
- offer a call-out service
- use a call-out service
The plumber offers a 24-hour call-out service for emergencies.
We had to use a call-out service when our boiler broke down.
Many electricians provide a call-out service within the city.
Word forms
| plural | call-out services |
|---|
Common combinations
- 24-hour call-out service
- The locksmith advertises a 24-hour call-out service.
- emergency call-out service
- The hospital has an emergency call-out service for rural areas.
- provide a call-out service
- They provide a call-out service for computer repairs.
Synonyms and how they differ
- service call
- More common in American English; it refers to the visit itself rather than the overall service.
- on-call service
- Focuses on the worker being available at any time, not necessarily coming to your location.
Word family
- call out phrasal verb
- To summon someone, especially for an emergency.
Commonly confused: call-out service or call center?
call-out service vs call center
A call center is a place where people answer phone calls, not a service that sends a worker to you.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'call-out service' correctly?
Choose one answer.
A call-out service sends a worker to your location, so fixing a pipe fits. Option 2 uses it as a verb, which is wrong; option 3 confuses it with a phone; option 4 describes a call center, not a call-out service.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “call-out service”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.