direct-dial

or di·rect di·al

[ dih-rekt-dahy-uhl, -dahyl, dahy-rekt- ]

/ dɪˈrɛktˈdaɪ əl, -ˈdaɪl, daɪˈrɛkt- /

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verb (used with or without object)

to make a telephone call outside the local area without the assistance of an operator.

adjective

being a telephone or telephone system enabling long-distance calls to be direct-dialed.

of or relating to direct dialing.

QUIZ

ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?

We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.

Question 1 of 8

Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?

navy

beryl

azure

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

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Words nearby direct-dial

direct cost, direct coupling, direct current, direct debit, direct deposit, direct-dial, direct diplopia, direct discourse, direct distance dialing, direct dye, directed

How to use direct-dial in a sentence

In 2009, Lee Daniels announced that he would direct Selma and that Liam Neeson would play President Lyndon Johnson.
Dr. King Goes to Hollywood: The Flawed History of ‘Selma’|Gary May|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If someone wants to ensure a direct and secure connection, no entity, whether a hotel or otherwise, should be able to block it.
How ‘Ethical’ Hotel Chain Marriott Gouges Guests in the Name of Wi-Fi Security|Kyle Chayka|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The twang we hear as emblematic of white country music is actually the direct descendant of black folk music banjo.
The Cultural Crimes of Iggy Azalea|Amy Zimmerman|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Idiocies multiply in direct proportion to the accumulating legal rigidities.
Red Tape Is Strangling Good Samaritans|Philip K. Howard|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Today they are more direct, especially in many conflict regions of the world.
ISIS, Boko Haram, and the Growing Role of Human Trafficking in 21st Century Terrorism|Louise I. Shelley|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Each religion claims that its own Bible is the direct revelation of God, and is the only true Bible teaching the only true faith.
God and my Neighbour|Robert Blatchford
The steamboat of 1809 and the steam locomotive of 1830 were the direct result of what had gone before.
The Unsolved Riddle of Social Justice|Stephen Leacock
It was a direct lie to tell the Austrian commander that an armistice had been arranged and the bridge ceded to the French.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
I suppose that to most men such a warning would be a direct incitement to make the attempt.
Uncanny Tales|Various
Even the policeman who is paid to direct you, replies to your inquiry with the shortest and gruffest monosyllable that will do.
Glances at Europe|Horace Greeley