cell phone
noun/ˈsel fəʊn/
/ˈsel fəʊn/
(also cellular phone, informal cell)
(especially North American English) (British English usually mobile phone, mobile)
- a phone that does not have wires and works by radio, and that you can carry with you and use anywhere
- cell phone users
- I talked to her on my cell phone.
- The use of cellular phones is not permitted on most aircraft.
Collocations PhonesPhonesMaking 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/extension/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 (British English) engaged/ (especially North American English) busy
- the phones have been (North American English) 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
- be/talk on a (both British English) mobile phone/mobile/(especially North American English) cell phone/(informal, especially North American English) cell
- use/answer/call (somebody on)/get a message on your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- switch/turn on/off your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- charge/recharge your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell
- a mobile/cell phone is on/is off/rings/goes off
- (British English) top up your mobile/cell (phone)
- send/receive a text (message)/an SMS (message)/a fax
- insert/remove/change a SIM card
Extra ExamplesTopics Phones, email and the interneta1- He called her cell phone but no one answered.
- I called his cell phone and then his home phone.
- Vincent's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.
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cell phone