freephonen.
/ˈfriːfəʊn/, U.S. /ˈfriˌfoʊn/ Originally and chiefly British.
a. In early use chiefly in form Freefone. A facility whereby the charge for telephone calls made to a business or other organization (usually for information or to make use of a service) is borne by the organization called, rather than by the caller. Frequently followed by a telephone number which may be called in this way, or by the name of such an organization or service. Cf. toll-free adj. b.
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society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [noun] > telephone services
answering service1904
information1910
speaking clock1934
talking clock1936
TIM1936
telebus1942
wake-up service1946
subscriber trunk dialling1952
freephone1959
telephone hotline1961
WATS1962
call waiting1963
night line1970
phone-in1970
telephone helpline1970
help-line1980
line1983
Cellnet1984
chat line1984
Vodafone1984
telepoint1987
callback1992
society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [adjective] > services
freephone1959
1959 Post Office Rep. i. 12 in Parl. Papers 1958–9 (Cmnd. 870) XXII. 747 ‘Freefone’ service... A special ‘Freefone’ number to which customers can make free calls, the charges being paid by the trader.
1960 Times 23 Sept. 21/5 (advt.) Air France... 158 New Bond Street, London, W.1... Edinburgh Aberdeen Dundee: Freefone 804.
1983 Financial Times (Nexis) 21 Sept. ii. 22 Qualified customers will have instant access by freephone to a centralised dealing room.
1986 Financial Times (Nexis) 27 Dec. Motorists can get quotations from Scarborough Building Society by calling at one of its branches or dialling 100 and asking for Freephone Scarborough Insurances.
1989 Independent (Nexis) 13 May 48 Copies of the Department of Health leaflets SA40 and SA41 can be obtained from freephone 0800 555777.
2003 R. Bean Honeymoon Suite 25 Now, first things first, this is a freephone number in't it?
b. North American. Any of various services offering free phone calls, typically subsidized by advertisements.
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society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > [noun] > telephone services > in United States
4111931
freephone1984
star 691990
1984 Official Gaz. (U.S. Patent Office) 8 May tm274/1 Freefone... For telephone services—namely, closed circuit and automatic telephone services... First use Sep. 2, 1975; in commerce Sep. 2, 1975.
1999 N.Y. Times 24 Jan. iii. 11/2 Freefone..offers free local phone calls from public booths in which color advertisements are displayed.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
freephonev.
/ˈfriːfəʊn/, U.S. /ˈfriˌfoʊn/ British.
transitive. To call using a freephone number. Also intransitive. Cf. freephone n.
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society > communication > telecommunication > telegraphy or telephony > telephony > communicate with by telephone [verb (transitive)] > by specific service
long-distance1919
videophone1945
freephone1988
1988 Times 8 July 25 (advt.) You can freefone Royal Mail International..for full details.
1990 Lesbian & Gay Pride (verso front cover) For confidential advice freephone the 24-hour National AIDS Helpline.
1999 Sun 22 June (Money Suppl.) 7/3 If the prospect of being significantly better off appeals, Freepost the coupon or Freephone to find out more.
2002 Press & Jrnl. (Aberdeen) 7 Mar. 9 Information packs..are available by freephoning the Meningitis Research Foundation.
This is a new entry (OED Third Edition, June 2008; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1959
v.1988