dial

See also: Dial and dial.

English

Dial (sense 1)

Etymology

The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle EnglishCategory:English terms inherited from Middle English#DIALCategory:English terms derived from Middle English#DIAL diall, from Middle FrenchCategory:English terms derived from Middle French#DIAL dyal, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#DIAL diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from LatinCategory:English terms derived from Latin#DIAL diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).

Pronunciation

Noun

dial (plural dials)Category:English lemmas#DIALCategory:English nouns#DIALCategory:English countable nouns#DIALCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

Dial (sense 4)
  1. A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
    Holonyms: (often holonymous) instrument, gauge
    The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
    1. Such a field as part of a clock face; (metonymicCategory:English metonyms#DIAL) the entire clock face.
      Comeronyms: hour hand, little hand; minute hand, big hand; second hand
  2. A sundial.
  3. A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
    Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
  4. A disk with finger holes on a telephone; used to select the number to be called.
    His hands were too fat to operate the dial on the telephone.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
  5. (UKCategory:British English#DIAL, AustraliaCategory:Australian English#DIAL, slangCategory:English slang#DIAL) A person's face. [from 19th c.]
  6. A miner's compass.

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Verb

dial (third-person singular simple present dials, present participle (US) dialing or (UK) dialling, simple past and past participle (US) dialed or (UK) dialled)Category:English lemmas#DIALCategory:English verbs#DIALCategory:English entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DIAL) To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.
    The lead guitarist for the rock band Spinal Tap dialed his amplifier to 11.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
    The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
  2. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DIAL) To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone, regardless of whether a physical dial is present.
  3. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DIAL) To use a dial or a telephone.
    Please be careful when dialling.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
  4. (transitiveCategory:English transitive verbs#DIAL) To initiate a connection to a remote computer service such as a database.
    The application failed when attempting to dial the Postgres server, because there were too many open connections.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL
  5. (intransitiveCategory:English intransitive verbs#DIAL, datedCategory:English dated terms#DIAL) To use a dial-up modem to connect a personal computer to the Internet.
    I always check my guestbook when I dial, just in case anyone saw my Web site.Category:English terms with usage examples#DIAL

Usage notes

  • The spellings dialing and dialed are more common in the US. Dialling and dialled are more common elsewhere.
  • Originally, telephones had rotary dials, a technology that had become obsolete by the 1980s and replaced with numeric keypads, and later with touchscreen controls. However, the term "dial" has persisted to refer to the act of placing a telephone call by manually inputting a telephone number.

Translations

Derived terms

Anagrams

Cornish

Etymology

From Middle CornishCategory:Cornish terms inherited from Middle Cornish#DIALCategory:Cornish terms derived from Middle Cornish#DIAL dyal, from Proto-BrythonicCategory:Cornish terms inherited from Proto-Brythonic#DIALCategory:Cornish terms derived from Proto-Brythonic#DIAL *diɣal, from Proto-CelticCategory:Cornish terms inherited from Proto-Celtic#DIALCategory:Cornish terms derived from Proto-Celtic#DIAL *dīgalā. Cognate with Breton and Welsh dial, Irish díoghail, Manx jeeyl, and Scottish Gaelic dìoghail.

Noun

dial m (uncountableCategory:Cornish uncountable nouns#DIAL)Category:Cornish lemmas#DIALCategory:Cornish nouns#DIALCategory:Cornish entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Cornish masculine nouns#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. revenge, retribution
    Synonym: venjyans

Derived terms

  • diala (“avenge, get revenge”, verb)

Verb

dialCategory:Cornish non-lemma forms#DIALCategory:Cornish verb forms#DIALCategory:Cornish entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. inflection of diala:
    1. third-person singular present indicative/future indicative
    2. second-person singular imperative

Mutation

Mutation of dial
radicalsoftaspiratehardmixed
dial dhial unchanged tial tial

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Cornish.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

North Frisian

Etymology 1

From Proto-GermanicCategory:North Frisian terms inherited from Proto-Germanic#DIALCategory:North Frisian terms derived from Proto-Germanic#DIAL *dailą.

Noun

dial n or m (plural dialen)Category:North Frisian lemmas#DIALCategory:North Frisian nouns#DIALCategory:North Frisian entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:North Frisian neuter nouns#DIALCategory:North Frisian masculine nouns#DIALCategory:North Frisian nouns with multiple genders#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL (Föhr-AmrumCategory:Föhr-Amrum North Frisian#DIAL)

  1. part, portion
    Synonym: part
  2. piece, item
Usage notes
  • Originally neuter in both senses. In sense 1 now predominantly masculine after German Teil.
Alternative forms

Etymology 2

From Proto-GermanicCategory:North Frisian terms inherited from Proto-Germanic#DIALCategory:North Frisian terms derived from Proto-Germanic#DIAL *dailijaną. Related with the noun above.

Verb

dialCategory:North Frisian lemmas#DIALCategory:North Frisian verbs#DIALCategory:North Frisian entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. (Föhr-AmrumCategory:Föhr-Amrum North Frisian#DIAL) to divide
Conjugation
Alternative forms

Spanish

Etymology 1

Borrowed from EnglishCategory:Spanish terms borrowed from English#DIALCategory:Spanish terms derived from English#DIAL dial.

Pronunciation

Noun

dial m (plural diales or dials)Category:Spanish lemmas#DIALCategory:Spanish nouns#DIALCategory:Spanish countable nouns#DIALCategory:Spanish nouns with multiple plurals#DIALCategory:Spanish entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Spanish masculine nouns#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. dial

Etymology 2

From LatinCategory:Spanish terms borrowed from Latin#DIALCategory:Spanish terms derived from Latin#DIAL diālis (“of a day”).

Pronunciation

Adjective

dial m or f (masculine and feminine plural diales)Category:Spanish lemmas#DIALCategory:Spanish adjectives#DIALCategory:Spanish epicene adjectives#DIALCategory:Spanish entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIAL

  1. day

Further reading

Welsh

Etymology

From Middle WelshCategory:Welsh terms inherited from Middle Welsh#DIALCategory:Welsh terms derived from Middle Welsh#DIAL dial, from Old WelshCategory:Welsh terms inherited from Old Welsh#DIALCategory:Welsh terms derived from Old Welsh#DIAL digal, from Proto-BrythonicCategory:Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Brythonic#DIALCategory:Welsh terms derived from Proto-Brythonic#DIAL *diɣal, from Proto-CelticCategory:Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Celtic#DIALCategory:Welsh terms derived from Proto-Celtic#DIAL *dī-galā. Cognate with Cornish dial, Breton dial and Old Irish dígal and its modern derivatives.

Pronunciation

Noun

dial m (plural dialau or dialon)Category:Welsh lemmas#DIALCategory:Welsh nouns#DIALCategory:Welsh countable nouns#DIALCategory:Welsh entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Welsh masculine nouns#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIALCategory:Welsh nouns with red links in their headword lines#DIALCategory:Welsh nouns with red links in their headword lines#DIAL

  1. revenge, vengeance
    Synonym: dialedd

Derived terms

  • dialgar (“vengeful”, adjective)

Verb

dial (first-person singular present dialaf)Category:Welsh lemmas#DIALCategory:Welsh verbs#DIALCategory:Welsh entries with incorrect language header#DIALCategory:Pages with entries#DIALCategory:Pages with 5 entries#DIALCategory:Welsh verbs with red links in their headword lines#DIAL

  1. to avenge, to get one's own back
    Synonyms: talu'n ôl, talu'r pwyth yn ôl

Usage notes

  • This verb is followed by the preposition ar.

Conjugation

Conjugation of dial (literary)
singular plural impersonal
first second third first second third
present indicative/future dialaf dieli dial, diala dialwn dielwch, dialwch dialant dielir
imperfect (indicative/subjunctive)/
conditional		 dialwn dialit dialai dialem dialech dialent dielid
preterite dielais dielaist dialodd dialasom dialasoch dialasant dialwyd
pluperfect dialaswn dialasit dialasai dialasem dialasech dialasent dialasid, dialesid
present subjunctive dialwyf dielych dialo dialom dialoch dialont dialer
imperative — dial, diala dialed dialwn dielwch, dialwch dialent dialer
verbal noun dial
verbal adjectives dialedig
dialadwy
Conjugation of dial (colloquial)
inflected
colloquial forms		 singular plural
first second third first second third
future diala i,
dialaf i		 diali di dialith o/e/hi,
dialiff e/hi		 dialwn ni dialwch chi dialan nhw
conditional dialwn i,
dialswn i		 dialet ti,
dialset ti		 dialai fo/fe/hi,
dialsai fo/fe/hi		 dialen ni,
dialsen ni		 dialech chi,
dialsech chi		 dialen nhw,
dialsen nhw
preterite dialais i,
diales i		 dialaist ti,
dialest ti		 dialodd o/e/hi dialon ni dialoch chi dialon nhw
imperative — diala — — dialwch —

Note: All other forms are periphrastic, as usual in colloquial Welsh.

Derived terms

Mutation

Mutated forms of dial
radical soft nasal aspirate
dial ddial nial unchanged

Note: Certain mutated forms of some words can never occur in standard Welsh.
All possible mutated forms are displayed for convenience.

Further reading

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke, et al., editors (1950–present), “dial”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
Category:Australian English Category:British English Category:Cornish lemmas Category:Cornish masculine nouns Category:Cornish non-lemma forms Category:Cornish nouns Category:Cornish terms derived from Middle Cornish Category:Cornish terms derived from Proto-Brythonic Category:Cornish terms derived from Proto-Celtic Category:Cornish terms inherited from Middle Cornish Category:Cornish terms inherited from Proto-Brythonic Category:Cornish terms inherited from Proto-Celtic Category:Cornish uncountable nouns Category:Cornish verb forms Category:English 2-syllable words Category:English countable nouns Category:English dated terms Category:English intransitive verbs Category:English lemmas Category:English metonyms Category:English nouns Category:English slang Category:English terms derived from Latin Category:English terms derived from Middle English Category:English terms derived from Middle French Category:English terms inherited from Middle English Category:English terms with IPA pronunciation Category:English terms with audio pronunciation Category:English terms with quotations Category:English terms with usage examples Category:English transitive verbs Category:English verbs Category:Entries with translation boxes Category:Föhr-Amrum North Frisian Category:Mandarin terms with redundant transliterations Category:North Frisian lemmas Category:North Frisian masculine nouns Category:North Frisian neuter nouns Category:North Frisian nouns Category:North Frisian nouns with multiple genders Category:North Frisian terms derived from Proto-Germanic Category:North Frisian terms inherited from Proto-Germanic Category:North Frisian verbs Category:Pages with 5 entries Category:Pages with entries Category:Rhymes:English/aɪəl Category:Rhymes:English/aɪəl/2 syllables Category:Rhymes:Spanish/aial Category:Rhymes:Spanish/aial/2 syllables Category:Rhymes:Spanish/ajal Category:Rhymes:Spanish/ajal/2 syllables Category:Rhymes:Spanish/al Category:Rhymes:Spanish/al/1 syllable Category:Rhymes:Welsh/iːal Category:Rhymes:Welsh/iːal/2 syllables Category:Spanish 1-syllable words Category:Spanish 2-syllable words Category:Spanish adjectives Category:Spanish countable nouns Category:Spanish epicene adjectives Category:Spanish lemmas Category:Spanish masculine nouns Category:Spanish nouns Category:Spanish nouns with multiple plurals Category:Spanish terms borrowed from English Category:Spanish terms borrowed from Latin Category:Spanish terms derived from English Category:Spanish terms derived from Latin Category:Spanish terms with IPA pronunciation Category:Terms with Arabic translations Category:Terms with Assyrian Neo-Aramaic translations Category:Terms with Azerbaijani translations Category:Terms with Bulgarian translations Category:Terms with Czech translations Category:Terms with Danish translations Category:Terms with Dutch translations Category:Terms with Finnish translations Category:Terms with French translations Category:Terms with German translations Category:Terms with Hebrew translations Category:Terms with Hindi translations Category:Terms with Hungarian translations Category:Terms with Irish translations Category:Terms with Italian translations Category:Terms with Japanese translations Category:Terms with Korean translations Category:Terms with Mandarin translations Category:Terms with Māori translations Category:Terms with Norwegian Bokmål translations Category:Terms with Persian translations Category:Terms with Polish translations Category:Terms with Portuguese translations Category:Terms with Romanian translations Category:Terms with Russian translations Category:Terms with Scottish Gaelic translations Category:Terms with Spanish translations Category:Terms with Swedish translations Category:Terms with Turkish translations Category:Terms with Ukrainian translations Category:Terms with Urdu translations Category:Terms with Vietnamese translations Category:Terms with Welsh translations Category:Welsh countable nouns Category:Welsh lemmas Category:Welsh masculine nouns Category:Welsh nouns Category:Welsh nouns with red links in their headword lines Category:Welsh terms derived from Middle Welsh Category:Welsh terms derived from Old Welsh Category:Welsh terms derived from Proto-Brythonic Category:Welsh terms derived from Proto-Celtic Category:Welsh terms inherited from Middle Welsh Category:Welsh terms inherited from Old Welsh Category:Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Brythonic Category:Welsh terms inherited from Proto-Celtic Category:Welsh terms with IPA pronunciation Category:Welsh verbs Category:Welsh verbs with red links in their headword lines