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Dial vs Phone - What's the difference?

dial | phone |

As verbs the difference between dial and phone

is that dial is to measure or indicate something with a dial while phone is .

As a noun dial

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

dial

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
  • A 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.
  • (British, dated) A person's face.
  • * 1960:' ''At the sound of the old familiar voice he spun around with something of the agility of a cat on hot bricks, and I saw that his '''dial , usually cheerful, was contorted with anguish, as if he had swallowed a bad oyster.'' (, ''(Jeeves in the Offing) , chapter IX)
  • A miner's compass.
  • Verb

  • To measure or indicate something with a dial.
  • To control or select something with a dial
  • To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone.
  • To use a dial or a telephone.
  • Usage notes

    * (term) and (term) are more common in the US. (term) and (term) are more common in the UK.

    Derived terms

    * dial-in * dial in * dial-up * dialer (US) * dial tone * misdial * redial

    Anagrams

    * * ----

    phone

    English

    (wikipedia phone)

    Etymology 1

    Shortening of (telephone).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A device for transmitting conversations and other sounds in real time across distances.
  • Derived terms
    * cell phone * clamshell phone * flip phone * mobile phone * phone sex * phone tag * smartphone
    See also
    *

    Verb

    (phon)
  • To call (someone) on the telephone.
  • Synonyms
    * call, ring, telephone
    Derived terms
    * phone it in * phone up

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (phonetics) A speech segment that possesses distinct physical or perceptual properties, considered as a physical event without regard to its place in the phonology of a language.