dial
noun/ˈdaɪəl/
/ˈdaɪəl/
- the face of a clock or watch, or a similar control on a machine, piece of equipment or vehicle that shows a measurement of time, amount, speed, temperature, etc.
- an alarm clock with a luminous dial
- Check the tyre pressure on the dial.
- Set the dial for the number of copies required.
- You can tune into our station at 1460 on the radio dial.
- the round control on a radio, cooker, etc. that you turn in order to change something, for example to choose a particular station or to choose a particular temperatureOxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + dial
- adjust
- set
- spin
- …
- the round part on some older phones, with holes for the fingers, that you move around to call a particular number see also speed dial
Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a mariner's compass): from medieval Latin diale ‘clock dial’, based on Latin dies ‘day’.
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