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
Words Nearby dial
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
Facebook's new moves to dial back the volume of political content in users' news feeds represent the latest lurch in the social network's erratic handling of its role as the world's digital public square.
Facebook tries to end its love-hate affair with politics | Scott Rosenberg | February 12, 2021 | AxiosBefore, the majority of people would be in a conference room somewhere, and others would dial in.
Publishers look to allay employee fears over a return to the office by offering additional flexibility | Jessica Davies | February 10, 2021 | DigidayBy consciously checking in with yourself, you can better home in on what triggers bad feelings and decide what activities to avoid or dial back in the future.
How to have a better relationship with your tech | Amy Nordrum | February 6, 2021 | MIT Technology ReviewThe temperature dial allows precise control of heating and uses a simple turn on-and-off design for ease of use.
Best toaster oven: Save counter space and time with our toaster oven picks | Julian Cubilllos | February 5, 2021 | Popular-ScienceRather than force his own offense, Green has dialed up his dimes to new levels.
Draymond Green Isn’t Scoring, But He’s Doing Everything Else For The Warriors | James L. Jackson | February 4, 2021 | FiveThirtyEight
In January 2013, the TRN group filed a second complaint in the dial Global suit, demanding a jury trial.
Cumulus Media, which now owns the former dial Global, declined to comment on the suit for this story.
This suspension, Masters said, had been forced upon ARNN by the dial Global lawsuit.
The Queen sent her first email at an RAF base in 1976 and she made the first direct-dial trunk call from the UK in 1958.
All a thief had to do was take off the dial knob on the safe and place the little joker on inside of it.
Yes,” said he, at length, “it works very well; but you have got the figures on the dial wrong.
The Portsmouth Road and Its Tributaries | Charles G. HarperThe second hand wiped over the "20" of the smaller dial, jittered on toward the half-minute spot.
On the front of the house was an ancient sun-dial, and across it, in antique letters, the legend "Time will show."
British Highways And Byways From A Motor Car | Thomas D. MurphyHe turned a dial to the words: "News Service—General," and the instrument broke into hurried speech.
Astounding Stories, May, 1931 | VariousHe pointed to a needle that was moving with slow certainty and deadly persistence across a graduated dial.
Astounding Stories, May, 1931 | Various
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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