dial
/ˈdaɪ.əl/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: 3.93 in modern English
5
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
2
Syllables
4
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A sundial.
noun
A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
noun
A miner's compass.
verb
To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.
Transitive verb
Example Sentences
- "Holonyms: (often holonymous) instrument, gauge"
- "The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas."
- "Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!"
- "His hands were too fat to operate the dial on the telephone."
- "“Well, all I can say is that if yer don't take yer dial outer the road I'll bloomin' well take an' bounce a gibber off yer crust.”"
- "At the sound of the old familiar voice he spun around with something of the agility of a cat on hot bricks, and I saw that his dial, usually cheerful, was contorted with anguish, as if he had swallowed a bad oyster."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *dyew- Proto-Indo-European *-s Proto-Indo-European *dyḗws Proto-Italic *djous Latin diēs Proto-Indo-European *h₂el- Proto-Indo-European *-is Proto-Indo-European *h₂élisder.? Proto-Italic *-ālis Latin -ālis Latin diālis Middle French dyalbor. Middle English diall English dial The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈdaɪ.əl/
- British English: /ˈdaɪ.əl/