courtesy calls
Obligatory social visits
Courtesy calls are brief visits or phone calls made primarily out of politeness rather than necessity.
A diplomat pays courtesy calls on officials when arriving at a new post.
A salesperson makes courtesy calls to maintain relationships rather than close deals.
The term sometimes carries a hint of obligation—the call may be more duty than genuine interest: I should make a courtesy call to my aunt while I'm in town.
- visitTrip to see another
- drop byVisit without appointment
- diplomatic visitOfficial trip between governments
- smilePleased facial expression
- knockStrike-produced sound
meet and greet · thank · guest · diplomacy · etiquette · good manners · formality · comity · protocol · paying respects · gesture · savoir-faire · door knock · tact · respect · hospitality · deference · rapport
courtesy, calls, call, called, calling, caller, callers, courteous, courteously