dial
a plate, disk, face, or other surface containing markings or figures upon which the time of day is indicated by hands, pointers, or shadows, as of a clock or sundial.
a plate or disk with markings or figures for indicating or registering some measurement or number, as of pressure, number of revolutions, the frequency to which a radio is tuned, etc., usually by means of a pointer.
a rotatable plate, disk, or knob used for regulating a mechanism, making and breaking electrical connections, etc., as in tuning a radio or television station in or out.
Also called ro·ta·ry di·al [roh-tuh-ree dahy-uhl, dahyl]. /ˈroʊ tə ri ˌdaɪ əl, ˌdaɪl/. a rotatable plate or disk on a telephone, fitted with finger holes that are marked with letters or numbers, used in making calls through an automatic switchboard.
any mechanism on the face of a telephone by which the caller places a call, as push buttons.
Also called min·er's di·al [mahy-nerz dahy-uhl, dahyl]. /ˈmaɪ nərz ˌdaɪ əl, ˌdaɪl/. Mining. a compass used for underground surveying.
to enter or input (a number) on a telephone, as by means of a touchscreen, push buttons, or a rotary dial: I dialed your work number by mistake.
to make a telephone call to: You can dial the Telehealth hotline for advice from a nurse.
to regulate, select, or tune in by means of a dial, as on a radio: She reached over to dial an FM station.
to indicate or register on or as if on a dial.
to measure with or as if with a dial.
to enter or input a number on a telephone, as by means of a touchscreen, push buttons, or a rotary dial: I keep dialing, but she's not picking up.
to use a dial to regulate or make a selection: Dial through the program settings on the washer to find the one that suits your load.
(of a telephone) having a rotary dial mechanism.
dial down, to reduce the level of; diminish: Such open threats of military action make it more difficult to dial down tensions.
dial up,
to obtain, reach, or contact by telephone:Now's your chance to dial up Chicago and do some business.
to access a computer, the internet, or another network by dialing a telephone number.
to increase the level of; intensify: I used cayenne, garlic, oregano, thyme, and pepper to dial up the flavor.
Origin of dial
1Other words from dial
- un·di·aled, adjective
- un·di·alled, adjective
Other definitions for dial. (2 of 2)
dialect.
dialectal.
dialectic.
dialectical.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use dial in a sentence
Why is he dialing down the humor and dialing up the moralizing, throwing his immaculate comedic balance out of whack?
Why I Fell in Love With ‘Louie’ Again, Artistic Pretensions and All | Andrew Romano | June 17, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTThe conservatives might want to start dialing Clint Eastwood right about now.
Will the Celebrity-Backed Push for Obamacare Enrollment Work? | Nina Strochlic | October 1, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTWhen the electrical grid is under stress, dialing down usage is as important as bringing new power on line.
EnerNOC Helps Keeps Lights on During Heat Waves Through Demand Response | Edward Ferguson | July 20, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThis intuition made sense in the time before automatic dialing, when you had to tell an operator the number you wanted to call.
Your Phone Records May Have Been Seized, Too—But You’ll Never Know | Josh Dzieza | May 16, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTKamins confided between dialing numbers of Wisconsin voters listed on her micro-targeted call sheet.
An Anxious Mood at an Obama Field Office in Chicago | Lloyd Grove | November 6, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
You don't get sounds like that unless there's three million people all dialing the same number at once.
Little Brother | Cory DoctorowHe could hear her dialing, and then, before he got the kettle on the burner, she came inside and closed the kitchen door.
Martians Never Die | Lucius Daniel"I do hope the superintendent's set doesn't have rabbits' ears," said Mrs. Mimms, dialing the super's apartment again to check.
The Amazing Mrs. Mimms | David C. KnightHe went to the telephone book and found the long-range dialing code for Washington, then dialed Steve's special number directly.
The Blue Ghost Mystery | Harold Leland GoodwinHe was dialing the guard room on that floor with one hand as he took off the belt.
Null-ABC | Henry Beam Piper and John Joseph McGuire
British Dictionary definitions for dial (1 of 2)
/ (ˈdaɪəl, daɪl) /
the face of a watch, clock, chronometer, sundial, etc, marked with divisions representing units of time
the circular graduated disc of various measuring instruments
the control on a radio or television set used to change the station or channel
the panel on a radio on which the frequency, wavelength, or station is indicated by means of a pointer
a numbered disc on a telephone that is rotated a set distance for each digit of a number being called
a miner's compass for surveying in a mine
British a slang word for face (def. 1)
to establish or try to establish a telephone connection with (a subscriber or his number) by operating the dial on a telephone
(tr) to indicate, measure, or operate with a dial
Origin of dial
1Derived forms of dial
- dialler, noun
British Dictionary definitions for dial. (2 of 2)
dialect(al)
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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