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
The Whidbey Island phone had a dial tone, so I pressed buttons until the sounds stopped.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 30, 2023
“Every time I hear a dial tone, I think of Harry,” Biden said.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 8, 2022
When I pick up the phone, there’s no dial tone.
From "Free Lunch" by Rex Ogle
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
