Oxford Dictionary English

dial

verb
verb
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəl//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəl//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they dial
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəl//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəl//
 he / she / it dials
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəlz//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəlz//
 past simple dialled
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəld//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəld//
 past participle dialled
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəld//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəld//
 (North American English) past simple dialed
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəld//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəld//
 (North American English) past participle dialed
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəld//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəld//
 -ing form dialling
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəlɪŋ//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəlɪŋ//
 (North American English) -ing form dialing
BrE BrE//ˈdaɪəlɪŋ//
; NAmE NAmE//ˈdaɪəlɪŋ//
 Making calls
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[transitive, intransitive] dial (something) to use a telephone by pushing buttons or turning the dial to call a number He dialled the number and waited. Dial 0033 for France. Wordfindercallarea code, call, dial, engaged, hold, line, message, phone, ring, voicemail CollocationsPhonesMaking and receiving phone calls the phone/​telephone rings answer/​pick up/​hang up the phone/​telephone lift/​pick up/​hold/​replace the receiver dial a (phone/​extension/​wrong) number/​an area code call somebody/​talk (to somebody)/speak (to somebody) on the phone/​telephone; from home/​work/​the office make/​get/​receive a phone call take the phone off the hook (= remove the receiver so that the phone does not ring) the line is (British English) engaged/ (especially North American English) busy the phones have been (North American English) ringing off the hook (= ringing frequently) put somebody through/​get through to the person you want to speak to put somebody on hold (= so that they must wait for the person they want to speak to) call from/​use a landlineMobile/​cell phones be/​talk on a (both British English) mobile phone/​mobile/(especially North American English) cell phone/(informal, especially North American English) cell use/​answer/​call (somebody on)/get a message on your mobile phone/​mobile/​cell phone/​cell switch/​turn on/​off your mobile phone/​mobile/​cell phone/​cell charge/​recharge your mobile phone/​mobile/​cell phone/​cell a mobile/​cell phone is on/​is off/​rings/​goes off (British English) top up your mobile (phone) send/​receive a text (message)/an SMS (message)/a fax insert/​remove/​change a SIM card See related entries: Making calls Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a mariner's compass): from medieval Latin diale ‘clock dial’, based on Latin dies ‘day’.Extra examples I dialled her number but there was no reply. It is possible to dial direct to many countries. She picked up the receiver, paused a moment, and then dialled. Phrasal Verbsdial downdial indial up
See dial in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
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