Dictionary

wake-up call en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• (US) audio

Meanings

1. (US, literally) A telephone call to awaken someone at a certain time, especially one requested by the person while staying at a hotel.
   • She requested a five a.m. wake-up call from the front desk.
2. (figuratively) An alert, reminder, or call to action caused by a dramatic event.
   • Near-synonym: reality check
   • Youth violence represents an insistent, angry wake-up call to every parent, every teacher, every religious leader, every student. 1997 December 6, Bill Clinton, Presidential Radio Address:
   • Instead, we must find an unworthy substitute for the defeat of a foe in that small grin we quickly suppress when we learn that a beheadphoned texter got hit by a car—no, not seriously injured, just bruised up enough to give him a wake-up call. 2021, William Ian Miller, “The Law of Conservation of Good Things”, in Outrageous Fortune: Gloomy Reflections on Luck and Life, Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 34:
   • "I will never forget the seven people who lost their lives and those who were injured, which was a real wake-up call to those of us involved in public transport and operating tram networks around the world. […]." 2020 November 18, Mike Brown tells Paul Stephen, “I wasn't going to let the Mayor down”, in Rail, page 44:
   • The recent deaths should serve as a wake-up call to others at risk.

Forms

Coordinates

alarm clock · knocker-up

Descendants

wake-up call · ウエークアップコール

Relateds

heads-up · wake up · rise and shine · wake word · rude awakening

Synonyms

morning call · alarm call · reality check

Translations (34)

es aldabada (call to action) · es revulsivo (call to action) · de Alarmzeichen (call to action) · es llamada de despertador (morning courtesy call) · es aldabonazo (call to action) · fr avertissement (call to action) · fr réveil par téléphone (morning courtesy call) · de Alarmsignal (call to action) · de Weckruf (morning courtesy call) · cmn 叫醒電話 /叫醒电话 (morning courtesy call) · ms panggilan kejut (morning courtesy call) · mi karanga-oho (call to action) · pl pobudka (call to action) · es alerta (call to action) · fi herätyssoitto (morning courtesy call) · nl wake-up call (call to action) · cmn 當頭棒喝 /当头棒喝 (call to action) · es toque de atención (call to action) · cmn 叫醒服務 /叫醒服务 (morning courtesy call) · fr signal d'alarme (call to action) · ms panggilan kejut (call to action) · sv telefonväckning (morning courtesy call) · fr piqûre de rappel (call to action) · gl advertencia (call to action) · sv väckarklocka (call to action) · ja モーニングコール (morning courtesy call) · fr réveil téléphonique (morning courtesy call) · it campanello d'allarme (call to action) · es verle las orejas al lobo (call to action) · pl pobudka (morning courtesy call) · ru сигнал тревоги (call to action) · fi herätys (call to action) · fr coup de semonce (call to action) · de Warnung (call to action)