dial in
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.93 in modern English
7
Scrabble Score
6
Letters
2
Syllables
5
Unique Chars
Meaning
verb
To configure or set up (particularly a complex machine with many configuration options [especially knobs and dials).
verb
To join or participate in (a conference call).
verb
To apprehend and align oneself (to an idea, circumstance, way of thinking, etc.).
verb
To reduce (something) to an appropriate level.
Example Sentences
- "Before starting the recording, make sure you've dialled in the right synthesiser settings."
- "I tried dialling in to the server, but I couldn't connect."
- "Did you dial in to that earnings announcement?"
- "The company quickly dialled in to the fact that customers wanted greater convenience."
- "Nowadays most people are dialled in to the idea that smoking is bad for you."
- "Starting in the ’90s, politicians began treating elections like advertising campaigns and used focus groups to dial in the most effective rhetoric, according to the Stanford economist Matthew Gentzkow, who has analyzed congressional speeches."
Etymology
dial + in, from tuning in to a radio frequency by changing the dial, or dialling a telephone number (originally on a rotary dial).