phone
♦♦ phone /f'oʊn/ (phones phoning phoned)
1 [N-SING] usu the N, also by N
The phone is an electrical system that you use to talk to someone else in another place, by dialling a number on a piece of equipment and speaking into it.
You can buy insurance over the phone...
She looked forward to talking to her daughter by phone...
Do you have an address and phone number for him?
= telephone
2 [N-COUNT] usu the N
The phone is the piece of equipment that you use when you dial someone's phone number and talk to them.
Two minutes later the phone rang...
Doug's 14-year-old son Jamie answered the phone.
see also cellular phone, mobile phone
= telephone
3 [N-SING] usu the N
If you say that someone picks up or puts down the phone, you mean that they lift or replace the receiver.
She picked up the phone, and began to dial Maurice Campbell's number...
= receiver
4 [VERB] V n, V
When you phone someone, you dial their phone number and speak to them by phone.
He'd phoned Laura to see if she was better...
I got more and more angry as I waited for her to phone.
= telephone, ring
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If you say that someone is on the phone, you mean that they are speaking to someone else by phone.
She's always on the phone, wanting to know what I've been up to.cam|era phone (camera phones)
[N-COUNT]
A camera phone is a mobile phone that can also take photographs.cel|lu|lar phone (cellular phones)
[N-COUNT]
A cellular phone or cellular telephone is a type of telephone which does not need wires to connect it to a telephone system. (mainly AM; in BRIT, use mobile phone)
= cellphone, mobile phonemo|bile phone (mobile phones)
[N-COUNT]
A mobile phone is a telephone that you can carry with you and use to make or receive calls wherever you are. (BRIT; in AM, use cellular phone, cellphone)phone book (phone books)
[N-COUNT]
A phone book is a book that contains an alphabetical list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the people in a town or area.phone booth (phone booths)
1 [N-COUNT]
A phone booth is a place in a station, hotel, or other public building where there is a public telephone.
2 [N-COUNT]
A phone booth is the same as a phone box. (AM)
= call box, phone boxphone box (phone boxes)
[N-COUNT]
A phone box is a small shelter in the street in which there is a public telephone. (BRIT; in AM, use phone booth)phone call (phone calls)
[N-COUNT]
If you make a phone call, you dial someone's phone number and speak to them by phone.
Wait there for a minute. I have to make a phone call.phone in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you phone in to a radio or television show, you telephone the show in order to give your opinion on a matter that the show has raised.
Listeners have been invited to phone in to pick the winner.
2 [PHRASAL VERB]
If you phone in to a place, you make a telephone call to that place.
He has phoned in to say he is thinking over his options.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, also V n P
If you phone in an order for something, you place the order by telephone.
Just phone in your order three or more days prior to departure.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you phone in sick, you telephone your workplace to say that you will not come to work because you are ill.
On Monday I was still upset and I phoned in sick to work.phone up
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
When you phone someone up, you dial their phone number and speak to them by phone.
Phone him up and tell him to come and have dinner with you one night.smart phone (smart phones)
[N-COUNT]
A smart phone is a type of mobile phone that can perform many of the operations that a computer does, such as accessing the Internet.
1 [N-SING] usu the N, also by N
The phone is an electrical system that you use to talk to someone else in another place, by dialling a number on a piece of equipment and speaking into it.
You can buy insurance over the phone...
She looked forward to talking to her daughter by phone...
Do you have an address and phone number for him?
= telephone
2 [N-COUNT] usu the N
The phone is the piece of equipment that you use when you dial someone's phone number and talk to them.
Two minutes later the phone rang...
Doug's 14-year-old son Jamie answered the phone.
see also cellular phone, mobile phone
= telephone
3 [N-SING] usu the N
If you say that someone picks up or puts down the phone, you mean that they lift or replace the receiver.
She picked up the phone, and began to dial Maurice Campbell's number...
= receiver
4 [VERB] V n, V
When you phone someone, you dial their phone number and speak to them by phone.
He'd phoned Laura to see if she was better...
I got more and more angry as I waited for her to phone.
= telephone, ring
5 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR after v
If you say that someone is on the phone, you mean that they are speaking to someone else by phone.
She's always on the phone, wanting to know what I've been up to.cam|era phone (camera phones)
[N-COUNT]
A camera phone is a mobile phone that can also take photographs.cel|lu|lar phone (cellular phones)
[N-COUNT]
A cellular phone or cellular telephone is a type of telephone which does not need wires to connect it to a telephone system. (mainly AM; in BRIT, use mobile phone)
= cellphone, mobile phonemo|bile phone (mobile phones)
[N-COUNT]
A mobile phone is a telephone that you can carry with you and use to make or receive calls wherever you are. (BRIT; in AM, use cellular phone, cellphone)phone book (phone books)
[N-COUNT]
A phone book is a book that contains an alphabetical list of the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of the people in a town or area.phone booth (phone booths)
1 [N-COUNT]
A phone booth is a place in a station, hotel, or other public building where there is a public telephone.
2 [N-COUNT]
A phone booth is the same as a phone box. (AM)
= call box, phone boxphone box (phone boxes)
[N-COUNT]
A phone box is a small shelter in the street in which there is a public telephone. (BRIT; in AM, use phone booth)phone call (phone calls)
[N-COUNT]
If you make a phone call, you dial someone's phone number and speak to them by phone.
Wait there for a minute. I have to make a phone call.phone in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P
If you phone in to a radio or television show, you telephone the show in order to give your opinion on a matter that the show has raised.
Listeners have been invited to phone in to pick the winner.
2 [PHRASAL VERB]
If you phone in to a place, you make a telephone call to that place.
He has phoned in to say he is thinking over his options.
3 [PHRASAL VERB] V P n, also V n P
If you phone in an order for something, you place the order by telephone.
Just phone in your order three or more days prior to departure.
4 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you phone in sick, you telephone your workplace to say that you will not come to work because you are ill.
On Monday I was still upset and I phoned in sick to work.phone up
[PHRASAL VERB] V n P, also V P n (not pron)
When you phone someone up, you dial their phone number and speak to them by phone.
Phone him up and tell him to come and have dinner with you one night.smart phone (smart phones)
[N-COUNT]
A smart phone is a type of mobile phone that can perform many of the operations that a computer does, such as accessing the Internet.