dial

/duy"euhl, duyl/, n., v., dialed, dialing or (esp. Brit.) dialled, dialling, adj.

n.

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.

v.t.

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

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

9. to regulate, select, or tune in by means of a dial, as on a radio: to dial my favorite program.

10. to make a telephone call to: Dial me at home.

v.i.

11. to use a telephone dial; to dial a telephone: I keep dialing, but the line seems dead.

12. to tune in or regulate by means of a dial: to dial into the opera broadcast.

13. dial up, to obtain, reach, or contact by telephone: to dial up stock-market information; to dial up Chicago and do some business.

adj.

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

[1400-50; late ME: instrument for telling time by the sun's shadow, presumably < ML dialis daily (L di(es) day + -alis -AL¹)]

* * *