The phrase “call it even” is used to indicate that a situation, usually involving a debt, favor, or exchange, has been balanced or settled, and there is no longer anything owed or left to settle between the parties involved. Essentially, it means that both sides have received what they are due, and there is no need for further action, payment, or compensation. It can also be used informally to end an argument or disagreement with the understanding that both sides have “paid” or “received” equally. In Indonesian, this could be translated as “menyelesaikan dengan adil” or “seimbang”, meaning that things are now equal.
Synonyms:
- Settle up
- Balance the books
- Square off
- Make things right
- Settle the score
- Even the score
- Call it a draw
- Call it quits
- Break even
- Resolve
Example Sentences:
- After they both chipped in for dinner, they decided to call it even and not worry about splitting the bill any further.
- If you buy me lunch today, we’ll call it even since I treated you last time.
- After all the back-and-forth, I think we should just call it even and move on.
- The two teams played hard, but in the end, they called it even with a tie score.
- She helped me with the project, so I’m going to call it even and help her with hers next week.
- We’ve been arguing for hours—let’s just call it even and agree to disagree.
- He paid me back the $10, so we called it even.
- After all the favors exchanged, they both decided to call it even and not keep track anymore.
- I think after all the compromises, we can call it even on this deal.
- Let’s call it even and forget about the misunderstanding—it’s not worth stressing over.
Related Words:
- Balance
- Settle
- Equalize
- Compromise
- Resolve
- Fairness
- Settlement
- Equality
- Reconciliation
- Resolution
Related Phrasal Verbs:
- Settle up (to pay what is owed, or to balance out something, like when calling it even)
- Square up (to make sure that debts or obligations are settled, much like calling it even)
- Make good (to fulfill a commitment or pay what’s owed, similar to calling it even)
- Pay back (to return money or a favor, often leading to calling it even)
- Break even (to reach a point where there is no profit or loss, indicating a balance or settlement)
- Clear up (to resolve confusion or settle something, much like calling it even)
- Call off (to stop something, especially when it’s no longer necessary because things are balanced, like calling it even)
- Wrap up (to finish or conclude something, often because everything is resolved, like calling it even)
- Come to terms with (to reach an agreement or understanding, similar to calling it even)
- Iron out (to resolve the remaining issues or differences, akin to calling it even)
Idiomatic Expressions:
- Break even (to neither gain nor lose, often used in business or financial contexts, similar to calling it even)
- Level the playing field (to make things equal or fair, like calling it even)
- All square (to be in a situation where both sides are even, like calling it even)
- A fair game (an even or balanced competition, which can metaphorically mean calling it even)
- Call it quits (to end something, often because the situation is resolved, similar to calling it even)
- Leave it at that (to stop discussing or negotiating further because everything is settled, like calling it even)
- Make it right (to fix or settle an issue, which could involve calling it even)
- Even the score (to balance out a situation or settle differences, very similar to calling it even)
- On equal footing (to be in a balanced or fair position, like calling it even)
- No hard feelings (to show that any prior disputes or issues have been forgiven, similar to calling it even)
The phrase “call it even” is often used when trying to end a dispute or settle a matter where both parties feel that the exchange or agreement has been made fair. It conveys a sense of fairness and resolution, marking the end of a transaction, argument, or situation where both sides have received what they are owed.
