(~s, telephoning, ~d)
Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English.
1.
The ~ is the electrical system of communication that you use to talk directly to someone else in a different place. You use the ~ by dialling a number on a piece of equipment and speaking into it.
They usually exchanged messages by ~...
I dread to think what our ~ bill is going to be...
She was wanted on the ~.
= phone
N-UNCOUNT
2.
A ~ is the piece of equipment that you use when you talk to someone by ~.
He got up and answered the ~...
= phone
N-COUNT
3.
If you ~ someone, you dial their ~ number and speak to them by ~.
I felt so badly I had to ~ Owen to say I was sorry...
They usually ~ first to see if she is at home.
= call, ring, phone
VERB: V n, V
4.
If you are on the ~, you are speaking to someone by ~.
Linda remained on the ~ to the police for three hours...
PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v