dial tone
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of dial tone
First recorded in 1890–95
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
A traditional copper line carries power over the line, so even if the power is out at your house and you pick up the phone, you’ll have a dial tone, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2026
Her mom, Paula James-Martinez, had to explain what a dial tone was.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 6, 2026
Nearby, museum archivist Claire Violet is on her back beneath a table, trying to figure out why she can’t get a dial tone from a phone at her work station.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 26, 2024
“Every time I hear a dial tone, I think of Harry,” Biden said.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 8, 2022
A dial tone, of course, followed the formal break in the connection.
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
