telephone

[[t]te̱lɪfoʊn[/t]]

♦♦

telephones, telephoning, telephoned

1) N-UNCOUNT The telephone is the electrical system of communication that you use to talk directly to someone else in a different place. You use the telephone by dialling a number on a piece of equipment and speaking into it.

They usually exchanged messages by telephone...

I dread to think what our telephone bill is going to be...

She was wanted on the telephone.

Syn:

phone

2) N-COUNT A telephone is the piece of equipment that you use when you talk to someone by telephone.

He got up and answered the telephone...

The telephone in Rizzoli's room rang.

Syn:

phone

3) VERB If you telephone someone, you dial their telephone number and speak to them by telephone.

[V n] I felt so badly I had to telephone Owen to say I was sorry...

They usually telephone first to see if she is at home.

Syn:

call, ring, phone

4) PHRASE: v-link PHR, PHR after v If you are on the telephone, you are speaking to someone by telephone.

Linda remained on the telephone to the police for three hours...

We talked on the telephone for quite a while.

Syn:

on the phone

5) PHRASE: v-link PHR To be on the telephone means to have a telephone in your house or office which is connected to the rest of the telephone system. [BRIT]

She wasn't on the telephone...

Are you on the telephone at home?

Syn:

on the phone