From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishtelephonetel‧e‧phone1 /ˈteləfəʊn $ -foʊn/ ●●● S1 W2 noun 1 → the telephone2 [countable]TCTTELEPHONE the piece of equipment that you use when you are talking to someone by telephone SYN phone The telephone rang just as I was leaving. She picked up the telephone and dialled a number. I said goodbye and put down the telephone.3 → be on the telephoneCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbsa telephone ringsThe telephone rang, but Tom didn’t answer it.answer the telephoneWhen I called the house, Mike answered the telephone.talk on the telephoneHe was talking on the telephone when the doorbell rang.use the telephoneMay I use your telephone?pick up the telephoneAs soon as she got home, she picked up the telephone and dialled his number.put down the telephoneBefore he could respond, she’d put down the telephone.call somebody on the telephoneHer son doesn’t even call her on the telephone.telephone + NOUNa telephone callShe got a telephone call from Joe last night.a telephone conversationWe had a long telephone conversation.a telephone lineThey didn’t even have a telephone line.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘get/have a telephone from somebody’. Say get/have a telephone call from somebody.
Examples from the Corpus
telephone• a telephone conversation• a cordless telephone• Recreation areas have telephones and pool tables.• White-bead chains that held dosimeters, radiation-sensing devices resembling large telephone pagers, were looped around their necks.• Is that my telephone ringing?• Others support the current regulated telephone system model.• The naval attaché's telephone in London was also intercepted.• And he's fond of Jean-Claude, he's always on the telephone ...• Fran hung up the telephone and looked out the window.• Members based outside of London used the telephone service or wrote to the library for answers to 1,465 queries about banking practice.• He said the campaign had identified Gramm supporters and worked the telephones to get them to the polls.put down the telephone• Melissa murmured some banal phrases of encouragement and put down the telephone with a feeling of desolation.• Ron had just put down the telephone.telephonetelephone2 ●●○ verb [intransitive, transitive] British English formalTCTTELEPHONE to talk to someone by telephone SYN phone, call Sammy telephoned to say that he would be late. I’ll telephone you later.► see thesaurus at phone→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
telephone• For details of your nearest tourist office telephone 4127.• He would have to telephone around and see if anyone else had any titbits to add to the mystery.• About five o'clock, a woman telephoned Bernstein.• Write or telephone for more information.• He had tried to telephone his wife once, but without success: the line was engaged.• Advertisements are placed in the press, and potential purchasers are invited to telephone or fill in a coupon for further details.• At 4:45 a.m., neighbors telephoned police to report a man firing shots.• I telephoned Sophie and arranged to have dinner with her the following night.• Police take violators to a special detention center and telephone their homes.• Mr Dodd telephoned this morning.• He wanted me to telephone you at once and ask you to come to Danzig.From Longman Business Dictionarytelephonetel‧e‧phone1 /ˈteləfəʊn-foʊn/ noun [countable] a piece of equipment you use to talk to someone who is in another placeSYNphonetelephonetelephone2 verb [intransitive, transitive] to talk to someone by telephoneSYNcall, phoneShe telephoned to say that he would be late.I’ll telephone you later.→ See Verb tableOrigin telephone1 (1800-1900) tele- + Greek phone “sound, voice” 