dialling tone

British  

noun

1. a continuous sound, either purring or high-pitched, heard over a telephone indicating that a number can be dialled Compare ringing tone engaged tone

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Example Sentences

Former PC James Asling, who worked for Bedfordshire Police, was caught after a supervisor called him and recognised the international dialling tone.

From BBC

She grips my hand and tows me behind her around the small courtyard garden, past the pretend bus stop and the red phone box with no dialling tone, down an alleyway of gravel that leads to a wooden gate.

From The Guardian

Mr De'Ath said he tried to contact Mr Kingston again but by then "his phone had then gone as well - there was no dialling tone to the phone... I couldn't get in contact with him at all".

From BBC

Nothing roused my suspicions about the call to the number shown on the back of my card; there was a normal dialling tone, then ringing tone, and the phone was answered in precisely the way I expected of the bank.

From BBC

Would people in the UK need to use an international dialling tone to ring Scotland?

From BBC