Definition of "dial" in Englisch

noun

1. A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).

   • Holonyms: (often holonymous) instrument, gauge
   • The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas.

2. A sundial.

3. 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!

4. 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.

5. (UK, Australia, slang) A person's face.

6. A miner's compass.

verb

1. (transitive) To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.

   • The lead guitarist for the rock band Spinal Tap dialed his amplifier to 11.
   • The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric.

2. (transitive) To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone, regardless of whether a physical dial is present.

   • In an emergency dial 999.

3. (intransitive) To use a dial or a telephone.

   • Please be careful when dialling.

4. (transitive) To initiate a connection to a remote computer service such as a database.

   • The application failed when attempting to dial the Postgres server, because there were too many open connections.

5. (intransitive, dated) To use a dial-up modem to connect a personal computer to the Internet.

   • I always check my guestbook when I dial, just in case anyone saw my Web site.