From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcall somebody/something ↔ off phrasal verb1 CANCELto decide that a planned event will not take place SYN cancel The trip to Italy might be called off.2 STOP DOING somethingto officially decide that something should be stopped after it has already started Rescuers had to call off the search because of worsening weather conditions.3 STOPto order an animal or person to stop attacking or threatening someone Call your dog off. → call→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
call off• He said that he would not countenance such an attack, and ordered Clark to call it off.• I got up the next day and I called the fight off.• I promised Swire Sugden we'd call it off.• Jazz, as she had guessed, was disappointed at the decision to call the challenge off.• This short call sets off a chain reaction of events.• These are her dogs and she could call them off if she so desired.• The president himself claimed not to be involved and refused to call Carville off, leaving the clear implication of approval.From Longman Business Dictionarycall something → off phrasal verb [transitive] to decide and announce that something should be stopped or should not take placeThe union called off strike action planned for today. → call→ See Verb table 