- phone
- phone1 W2S1 [fəun US foun] n[Date: 1800-1900; Origin: telephone]1.) a telephone▪ Louise got up to answer the phone .▪ She's too busy to come to the phone right now. Can you call back later?▪ What's your phone number ?▪ The phone rang . It was Pam.▪ Before he could answer, the phone went dead .▪ a secret tape of Diana's phone conversations▪ Much of his work is done by phone .▪ Who was that on the phone ?▪ I wish Amy would get off the phone .2.) the part of a telephone into which you speak= ↑receiver▪ She picked up the phone and dialled.▪ Jean put the phone down (=after she had finished her conversation) and burst out laughing.▪ He put the phone down on me (=before I had finished speaking) .▬▬▬▬▬▬▬COLLOCATES for sense 1answer the phonecome to the phonephone numberthe phone ringsthe phone goes dead (=you can no longer hear the person you were speaking to on the telephone)phone conversationby phone/over the phone (=using the telephone)on the phone (=speaking on the telephone)off the phone (=no longer using the telephone)phone companymobile phone/mobile British Englishcellphone/cellular phone especially AmE▬▬▬▬▬▬▬phone 2phone2 S1 also phone up v [I and T]to speak to someone by telephone= ↑telephone▪ I'll phone you this evening.▪ Why didn't they phone the police?▪ For information phone 01279-623772.▪ Stevie phoned to say that he was going to be late.▪ I kept phoning her up, asking to meet her.▪ Tell him to phone back (=telephone again at a later time) tomorrow.see usage note ↑call1phone in phr v1.) to telephone the place where you work, especially in order to report something▪ I'll phone in and let them know.phone sth<=>in▪ I'll phone the report in tomorrow morning.▪ She phoned in sick (=telephoned to say that she was ill and could not come to work) .2.) to telephone a radio or television show to give your opinion or ask a question▪ There's still time to phone in before the end of the programme.→↑phone-in▬▬▬▬▬▬▬HINT sense 1You do not 'phone to' someone or 'phone to' a number. Phone is followed immediately by a noun: She phoned her friend Judy. |Just phone 01279-623772 and I'll come and get you.▬▬▬▬▬▬▬
Dictionary of contemporary English. 2013.