house call

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   A visit by a doctor or other professional to a patient's or client's home.

   Grammar: Countable: make a house call, do house calls. Often used in the plural for the service in general.

   Patterns

   • make a house call
   • do house calls
   • a doctor's house call

   The doctor made a house call when my grandfather couldn't leave his bed.

   In rural areas, house calls are still common because hospitals are far away.

   The vet charges extra for a house call.

2. 2nouncountable

   A visit by a tradesperson or other worker to a customer's home to provide a service.

   Grammar: Used for plumbers, electricians, hairdressers and similar services that come to your home.

   Patterns

   • make a house call
   • a house call from a plumber

   The plumber said he could make a house call on Saturday morning.

   Mobile hairdressers offer house calls for elderly customers.

Word forms

Common combinations

make a house call

The doctor had to make a house call in the middle of the night.

do house calls

This clinic still does house calls for patients who cannot travel.

charge for a house call

The dentist charges an extra fee for a house call.

house call service

The pharmacy has a house call service for people with limited mobility.

Synonyms and how they differ

home visit

The more common British term for a professional visiting your home, especially in health and social care.

callout

Used mainly for emergency services or repair workers being sent to a location, not necessarily a home.

Opposites

Commonly confused: house call or cold call? house call or phone call?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “house call”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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