dial

Plural: dials

Noun

• the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours
• the control on a radio or television set that is used for tuning
• the circular graduated indicator on various measuring instruments
• a disc on a telephone that is rotated a fixed distance for each number called
• A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
• 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.
• A sundial.
• A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
• A disk with finger holes on a telephone; used to select the number to be called.
• A person's face.
• A miner's compass.

Verb

• operate a dial to select a telephone number
  • "You must take the receiver off the hook before you dial"
• choose by means of a dial
  • "dial a telephone number"
• To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.
• To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone.
• To use a dial or a telephone.

Examples

• "His hands were too fat to operate the dial on the telephone."
• "In an emergency dial 999."
• "Please be careful when dialling."
• "The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas."
• "The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric."
• "Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!"

Synonyms

telephone dial