Called on account of rain

[Uri Jabes]

Hey, guys, I was watching a movie and the guy used this expression, but I didn't get its meaning. He was talking about how he had to finish his job and couldn't consider it "called account on rain". I've searched this on the net but couldn't find anything concerning its meaning. Can you help me out?

 

[Egmont]

The original meaning of this phrase comes from the game of baseball. Baseball is played only in dry weather. (It's not that the players can't stand the rain. It's impossible to hit a wet ball properly with a bat.) If it starts to rain during a game, the umpires (or another authority, depending on the game) may decide to stop play. That is calling the game on account of rain.

By extension, this expression is sometimes used when an activity must be stopped because of an external factor. Here, the actor means that he cannot point to an external factor as a reason for not finishing his job.

 

[perpend]

It's sort of a mal-worded expression.

It means more like:
Called off due to rain.
Canceled due to rain.

It does not only apply to baseball, Egmont.

 

[Uri Jabes]

Got it! Thank you very much, Egmont and perpend.

 

[JulianStuart]

The loss of "off" from "call off" seems to be well-established in US (sports) Engliish. The following from Random House.

Sports.
a.to pronounce a judgment on (a shot, pitch, batter, etc.): The umpire called the pitch a strike.

b.to put an end to (a contest) because of inclement weather,poor field conditions, etc.: A sudden downpour forced the umpire to call the game.

Sports language often creates its own terms (frequently, as in this case, truncating things) that seem "odd" (or "mal"!) to non-sports ears, but the sheer number of people who follow sports and use the terms requires recognition of (at least) the older ones as "standard".

 

[exgerman]

The loss of "off" from "call off" seems to be well-established in US (sports) English.
​

Calling a game in baseball is not the same as calling off a game. A called game will be resumed at a later date; a called-off one will not be resumed.

"Call" in baseball is a technical term meaning "decision by a referee". You can't deduce the meaning from your general knowledge of English.

 

[perpend]

Those are some excellent finer points, exgerman. Well-stated.

 

[Egmont]

Calling a game in baseball is not the same as calling off a game. A called game will be resumed at a later date; a called-off one will not be resumed...

Not exactly. A game that is called after about half of it has been played (see below for details) stands with the score as of when it was called. It is not resumed. A game that is to be resumed is a suspended game. The following is from the official rules of Major League Baseball, Section 4.10:

(c) If a game is called, it is a regulation game:
(1) If five innings have been completed;
(2) If the home team has scored more runs in four or four and a fraction half-innings than the visiting team has scored in five completed half-innings;
(3) If the home team scores one or more runs in its half of the fifth inning to tie the score.
(d) If a regulation game is called with the score tied, it shall become a suspended game. See Rule 4.12.
(e) If a game is called before it has become a regulation game, the umpire shall declare it “No Game.”

Note the use of the word called in the above. It is used very precisely. It includes some games that will be resumed, and some that won't.