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Dial
Definitions
- 1 A surname.
- 1 A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
"Holonyms: (often holonymous) instrument, gauge"
- 2 the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours wordnet
- 3 A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).; Such a field as part of a clock face; (metonymic) the entire clock face.
- 4 a disc on a telephone that is rotated a fixed distance for each number called wordnet
- 5 A sundial.
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- 6 the circular graduated indicator on various measuring instruments wordnet
- 7 A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
"Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!"
- 8 the control on a radio or television set that is used for tuning wordnet
- 9 A disk with finger holes on a telephone; used to select the number to be called.
"His hands were too fat to operate the dial on the telephone."
- 10 A person's face. Australia, UK, slang
"“Well, all I can say is that if yer don't take yer dial outer the road I'll bloomin' well take an' bounce a gibber off yer crust.”"
- 11 A miner's compass.
- 1 To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial. transitive
"The lead guitarist for the rock band Spinal Tap dialed his amplifier to 11."
- 2 choose by means of a dial wordnet
- 3 To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone, regardless of whether a physical dial is present. transitive
"In an emergency dial 999."
- 4 operate a dial to select a telephone number wordnet
- 5 To use a dial or a telephone. intransitive
"Please be careful when dialling."
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- 6 To initiate a connection to a remote computer service such as a database. transitive
"The application failed when attempting to dial the Postgres server, because there were too many open connections."
- 7 To use a dial-up modem to connect a personal computer to the Internet. dated, intransitive
"I always check my guestbook when I dial, just in case anyone saw my Web site."
Etymology
The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).
The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).
See also for "dial"
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