Your call
Meaning
The decision or responsibility for a particular action rests solely with you.
Origin
This phrase has its roots firmly planted in the intense world of card games, particularly poker, where a player's turn to "call" signifies their pivotal moment of decision. To "call" means to match the previous bet, showing commitment to the hand and often forcing an opponent's bluff. Before the widespread use of phones, making a "call" in a game literally meant articulating your decision aloud. This high-stakes context, where a single pronouncement could determine victory or defeat, imbued "your call" with its modern sense of ultimate responsibility for a choice. It eventually leaped from the green felt tables into everyday language, becoming a punchy shorthand for "the decision is yours."
Examples
- I've presented all the options, now it's your call whether we go with plan A or plan B.
- We can stay out longer or head home; it's completely your call.