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Definition of telephone verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

  

telephone

 verb
verb
NAmE//ˈtɛləˌfoʊn//
 
[intransitive, transitive] (formal)Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they telephone
 
 he / she / it telephones
 
 past simple telephoned
 
 -ing form telephoning
 
 
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 to speak to someone by telephone synonym call, phone Please write or telephone for details. He telephoned to say he'd be late. telephone something You can telephone your order 24 hours a day. I was about to telephone the police. Topic CollocationsPhonesmaking and receiving phone calls
  • the phone/telephone rings
  • answer/pick up/hang up the phone/telephone
  • lift/pick up/hold/replace the receiver
  • dial a phone number/an extension number/a wrong number/an area code
  • call somebody/talk (to somebody)/speak (to somebody) on the phone/telephone; from home/work/the office
  • make/get/receive a phone call
  • take the phone off the hook (= remove the receiver so that the phone does not ring)
  • the line is busy
  • the phones have been ringing off the hook (= ringing frequently)
  • put somebody through/get through to the person you want to speak to
  • put somebody on hold (= so that they must wait for the person they want to speak to)
  • call from/use a landline
cell phones
  • be/talk on a cell phone/ (informal) cell
  • use/answer/call (somebody on)/get a message on your cell phone/cell
  • switch/turn on/off your cell phone/cell
  • charge/recharge your cell phone/cell
  • a cell phone is on/is off/rings/goes off/is on vibrate/is on silent/is in silent mode
  • send/receive a text (message)/a picture message
  • insert/remove/change a SIM card
See telephone in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Check pronunciation: telephone

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