dial
dial Lexical Profile
dial Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A disc, knob, or control on an instrument or device used to make adjustments, select settings, or indicate measurements.
"Turn the dial on the oven to 350 degrees before placing the cake inside."
The face of a clock, watch, or sundial, typically marked with numbers or divisions to indicate the time.
"He checked the luminous dial of his watch in the dark theater to see how much time was left."
A rotatable disc with numbered holes on an older telephone used to initiate a call.
"She carefully turned the dial of the rotary phone to call her grandmother."
• verb
To operate a telephone or mobile device to call a specific number.
"He immediately dialed the emergency number as soon as he witnessed the accident."
To select a setting or adjust a parameter using a control knob.
"The sound engineer dialed the bass down slightly to prevent distortion."
• Rhymes for dial
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
From Middle English 'dial', derived from Medieval Latin 'dialis' (meaning 'daily'), which comes from Latin 'dies' (day). It originally referred to a sundial or a book of daily church services before generalizing to the numbered face of any measuring instrument.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.