/ fəʊn; NAmE foʊn/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] a system for talking to sb else over long distances using wires or radio; a machine used for this; a telephone :
I have to make a phone call .
The phone rang and Pat answered it.
They like to do business by phone / over the phone .
His phone must be switched off.
I hadn't got my phone with me.
a phone bill
—see also car phone , cellphone , cellular phone , Entryphone , mobile phone , payphone , telephone
2.
[ C ] the part of a phone that you hold in your hand and speak into; a telephone :
to pick up the phone
to put the phone down
He left the phone off the hook as he didn't want to be disturbed.
—see also answerphone , telephone
3.
-phone (in nouns) an instrument that uses or makes sound :
dictaphone
xylophone
4.
-phone (in adjectives and nouns) speaking a particular language; a person who does this :
anglophone
francophone
5.
( phonetics ) a sound made in speech, especially when not considered as part of the sound system of a particular language
—compare phoneme
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IDIOMS
- be on the phone
■ verb
( especially BrE ) ( BrE also ˌphone ˈup ) to make a telephone call to sb
SYN call :
[ v ]
I was just phoning up for a chat.
He phoned to invite me out for dinner.
Someone phone for an ambulance!
Could you phone back later?
He phoned home , but there was no reply.
[ vn ]
Don't forget to phone New York.
For reservations, phone 0171 281 3964.
Phone them up and find out when they are coming.
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PHRASAL VERBS
- phone in
- phone sth in
••
BRITISH / AMERICAN
phone / call / ring
Verbs
In BrE , to phone, to ring and to call are the usual ways of saying to telephone . In NAmE the most common word is call , but phone is also used. Speakers of NAmE do not say ring . Telephone is very formal and is used mainly in BrE .
Nouns
You can use call or phone call (more formal) in both BrE and NAmE :
Were there any phone calls for me?
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How do I make a local call?
The idiom give sb a call is also common: I'll give you a call tonight. In informal BrE you could also say: I'll give you a ring tonight.
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WORD ORIGIN
noun sense 5 mid 19th cent.: from Greek phōnē sound, voice.