I. ra ‧ di ‧ o 1 S1 W2 /ˈreɪdiəʊ $ -dioʊ/ BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1900-2000 ; Origin: radiotelegraphy (19-21 centuries) , from radio- + telegraphy ]
1 .
a) [countable] a piece of electronic equipment which you use to listen to programmes that are broadcast, such as music and news
turn/switch the radio on/off
I sat down and turned on the radio.
b) [uncountable] programmes that are broadcast on the radio:
I don’t really listen to the radio very much.
on the radio
Did you hear the interview with the Prime Minister on the radio this morning?
radio programme/show
He’s got his own radio show now.
local/national radio
She works for a local radio station.
2 .
a) [countable] a piece of electronic equipment, for example on a plane or ship, which can send and receive spoken messages
over the radio
We received a call for help over the ship’s radio.
b) [uncountable] when messages are sent or received in this way
by radio
We should be able to reach them by radio.
We’ve lost radio contact with the plane.
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ listen to the radio
She was sitting up in bed, listening to the radio.
▪ hear something on the radio
I heard on the radio that the weather was going to get warmer.
▪ turn/switch the radio on
Dad switched on the radio for the eight-thirty news.
▪ turn/switch the radio off
You can turn the radio off, darling, we're not listening to it.
▪ turn the radio down/up (=make it quieter or louder)
Can you turn your radio down a bit?
▪ tune a radio to a station (=make it receive broadcasts from a particular station)
The radio was tuned to a country-music station.
■ adjectives
▪ local radio
Jobs may be advertised in local newspapers or on local radio.
▪ national radio
He even went on national radio to defend himself and his players.
▪ state radio (=controlled by the government of a country)
In a message read on state radio and television, the president called for calm.
■ radio + NOUN
▪ a radio programme/show
It's my favourite radio programme.
▪ a radio station (=an organization that broadcasts radio programmes)
There are currently nearly 50 commercial radio stations.
▪ a radio broadcast
All radio broadcasts continue to be closely monitored by the government.
II. radio 2 BrE AmE verb [intransitive and transitive]
to send a message using a radio
radio for
The ship radioed for help.
radio somebody for something
We radioed London for permission to land.