withcall

See also: Withcall

English

Etymology

From Middle English withcallen, equivalent to with- (“back, away”) +‎ call.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɔːl

Verb

withcall (third-person singular simple present withcalls, present participle withcalling, simple past and past participle withcalled)

1. (transitive) To call back or call away (from); recall; withdraw one's words; retract; recant; unsay; cancel; call off.
   • 1716, Weekly remarks, and political reflections upon the most material news:

     [...] intended to withcall him from his Studies, [...]

   • 1833, Peter Walker, Charles Hodge, Lyman Hotchkiss Atwater, Biblical repertory:

     Alas, that he should himself have fallen on that very enchanted ground, from which it was the business and the glory of his life to withcall his younger brethren!

   • 1865, History of the Pennsylvania Reserve Corps:

     By order of the President, Bayard's brigade was withcalled, and followed by three divisions, commanded by Generals Shields, King, and Ord, was sent with all possible haste to intercept Jackson's retreat up the valley.

   • 1875, John Reresby (sir, 2nd bart.), James Joel Cartwright, The memoirs of sir John Reresby:

     This long debate ended in voting an address to be made to the King, to desire his Majesty before that they proceeded to give any more money, he would please to declare war against France, and withcall his ambassador from the French Court.

   • 1896, Hugh Stowell Scott, Flotsam: the study of a life:

     Instead the troops were withcalled, and began once more the weary work of besieging a fortified city [...]

   • 1901, Prior, Forest Flk.:

     He withcalls all he's swore.

   • 1913, John Bigelow, Retrospections of an active life:

     His ignorance of law and indifference as to essential principles underlying law — displayed in his appointment of Stewart and his purpose of withcalling Johnson's pardons, were about all that has troubled me, [...]

   • 1916, California Alumni Association, The California Alumni Fortnightly:

     A policy which withcalls us from the great task we have in the Pacific is recreant to our duty as a great state, and to all that we owe to the civilization of the world.

   • 1922, George Thornton Fleming, History of Pittsburgh and environs:

     When war was declared with Germany in April of that year the jubilee was withcalled.

   • 2007, Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Three Books of Occult Philosophy Or Magic:

     Besides, seeing he is the author of secret contemplation, and estranged from all public affairs, and the highest of all the planets, he doth, as he withcalls his mind from outward business, so also make it ascend higher, [...]

Synonyms

• recant, take back; See also Thesaurus:recant