dial

¹ American  

[dahy-uhl, dahyl] / ˈdaɪ əl, daɪl /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. Also called rotary dial.  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.

5. any mechanism on the face of a telephone by which the caller places a call, as push buttons.

6. Also called miner's dial.  Mining. a compass used for underground surveying.

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verb (used with object)

dialed, dialing, dialled, dialling

1. 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.

2. to make a telephone call to.

   You can dial the Telehealth hotline for advice from a nurse.

3. to regulate, select, or tune in by means of a dial, as on a radio.

   She reached over to dial an FM station.

4. to indicate or register on or as if on a dial.

5. to measure with or as if with a dial.

verb (used without object)

dialed, dialing, dialled, dialling

1. 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.

2. 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.

adjective

1. (of a telephone) having a rotary dial mechanism.

verb phrase

1. dial up

   1. to obtain, reach, or contact by telephone.

      Now's your chance to dial up Chicago and do some business.

   2. to access a computer, the internet, or another network by dialing a telephone number.

   3. to increase the level of; intensify.

      I used cayenne, garlic, oregano, thyme, and pepper to dial up the flavor.

2. dial down to reduce the level of; diminish.

   Such open threats of military action make it more difficult to dial down tensions.

dial. ² American  

abbreviation

1. dialect.

2. dialectal.

3. dialectic.

4. dialectical.

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dial ¹ British  

/ daɪl, ˈdaɪəl /

noun

1. the face of a watch, clock, chronometer, sundial, etc, marked with divisions representing units of time

2. the circular graduated disc of various measuring instruments

3. 1. the control on a radio or television set used to change the station or channel

   2. the panel on a radio on which the frequency, wavelength, or station is indicated by means of a pointer

4. a numbered disc on a telephone that is rotated a set distance for each digit of a number being called

5. a miner's compass for surveying in a mine

6. a slang word for face

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verb

1. to establish or try to establish a telephone connection with (a subscriber or his number) by operating the dial on a telephone

2. (tr) to indicate, measure, or operate with a dial

dial. ² British  

abbreviation

1. dialect(al)

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Other Word Forms

• dialler noun
• undialed adjective
• undialled adjective

Etymology

Origin of dial

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English dial, diel,dyal “instrument for telling time by the sun's shadow,” from Old French dyal, from Medieval Latin diālis “daily” ( Latin di(ēs) ) “day” + -ālis adjective suffix; -al ¹ )

Example Sentences

They want to impose compulsory physical attendance and voting, doing away with the current "hybrid" arrangement dating from the pandemic which lets members dial in remotely.

From BBC • Mar. 19, 2026

He says that retirement fund managers will start small, and dial allocations to private assets up or down, over the next five to 15 years.

From Barron's • Mar. 19, 2026

He can arrange most music by streaming it on Spotify or Apple Music, but he also has the bulk of composers on speed dial to request their arrangements if need be.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2026

Expectations of a longer-lasting increase in energy prices prompted investors this week to dial back expectations around Fed cuts this year, and longer-term interest rates rose.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

This one is even bigger, with a combination dial.

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston