dial
/ˈdaɪ.əl/ noun B1- 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.
- 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. · Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!
- 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.
- A miner's compass.
Plural dials
Phrasal verbs and expressions
From the library
“Still it belongs to government, and I ought not to waste it; but, having received the signal that I might rest for an hour” (here he glanced at the sun-dial, for there was everything in the enclosure of Montlhéry, even a sun-dial), “and having ten minutes before me, and my strawberries being ripe, when a day longer—by-the-by, sir, do you think dormice eat them?”
“Sir,” said the gardener, glancing at the sun-dial, “the ten minutes are almost up; I must return to my post.
Other matches
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