at someone's beck and call
Meaning: Always ready to obey someone's orders.
Language: English
Literally: (Already vivid in English)
Example: “He expects his assistant to be at his beck and call around the clock.”
Category: Daily Life
Origin: A "beck" is a nod or gesture, related to "beckon." The paired phrase is found from the late 19th century, though "at someone's beck" is older.
Equivalents in other languages
- French: Corvéable à merci — literally: Liable to forced labor at will
More idioms — Daily Life
- set one's cap at — To try to attract someone as a romantic partner (dated).
- the big leagues — The highest, most competitive level of an activity.
- rich as Croesus — Extremely wealthy.
- everyone's a critic — A wry reply to unwanted criticism: it is easy to find fault.
- the pitcher goes to the well once too often — Repeated risk-taking eventually ends in disaster.
- a road to Damascus moment — A sudden, life-changing realization or conversion.
More English idioms
- hands down — Easily; without question.
- like a bolt from the blue — Completely unexpected, usually of bad news.
- the sword of Damocles — A constant threat of disaster hanging over someone.
- the deck is stacked — The situation is unfairly arranged so that someone will lose.
- after me, the deluge — I don't care what happens after I am gone.
- lie through one's teeth — To lie openly and shamelessly.
From our tongue twisters
- Unique New York. — Three words that jam the 'y/n/k' sequence together — repeat it and it collapses into 'you…
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. — Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…
- Red lorry, yellow lorry. — The 'l/r' alternation drill — deceptively short, yet almost impossible to say fast withou…