phone

noun

UK /fəʊn/

Word Forms

singular	phone
plural	phones

1
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a piece of electronic equipment that you use for speaking to someone in a different place
May I use the phone in your office?
I don’t really need a new phone.
Just before I got off the bus my phone rang.
answer the phone:
It took 19 minutes for someone to answer the phone (=pick it up when it rang).
a digital cordless phone
Synonyms and related words
Telephones and telecommunication equipment
3G
4G
5G
1. 1a
  singular the system for speaking to someone on the telephone
  on the phone (=talking using the telephone):
  Most teenagers spend hours on the phone every day.
  by phone/over the phone (=using the telephone):
  We take orders by phone or by email.
  Synonyms and related words
  Telephone services and companies
  answering service
  blue pages
  the book
2. 1b
  singular the part of a landline (=a phone that is attached to a phone line) that you speak into
  pick up/put down the phone:
  She picked up the phone but didn’t speak.
  put the phone down on someone (=suddenly end your telephone conversation with someone):
  Don’t you dare put the phone down on me!
  Synonyms and related words
  Telephones and telecommunication equipment
  3G
  4G
  5G
See alsomobile phone

phone

noun

US /foʊn/

Word Forms

singular	phone
plural	phones

1
countable Sound Effect ♬♬♬♬♬♬a piece of electronic equipment that you use for speaking to someone in a different place
May I use the phone in your office?
Just before I got off the bus my phone rang.
answer the phone:
It took 19 minutes for someone to answer the phone (=pick it up when it rang).
I don’t really need a new phone.
a digital cordless phone
Synonyms and related words
Telephones and telecommunication equipment
3G
4G
5G
1. 1a
  singular the system for speaking to someone on the telephone
  on the phone (=talking using the telephone):
  Most teenagers spend hours on the phone every day.
  by phone/over the phone (=using the telephone):
  We take orders by phone or by e-mail.
  Synonyms and related words
  Telephone services and companies
  answering service
  blue pages
  the book
2. 1b
  singular the part of a landline (=a phone that is attached to a phone line) that you speak into
  pick up/put down the phone:
  She picked up the phone but didn’t speak.
  Synonyms and related words
  Telephones and telecommunication equipment
  3G
  4G
  5G
See alsocell phone

phrases

hold the phone

phone

verb intransitive/transitive

UK /fəʊn/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	phone
he/she/it	phones
present participle	phoning
past tense	phoned
past participle	phoned

1

phone
or
phone up
to use a telephone to call someone
Phone me if you have any questions.
Synonyms and related words
Using a telephone
answer
busy
call
2
mail/phone it in
to work or perform without much effort, interest, or enthusiasm
There have been reports that staffers are just mailing it in.
The cast might as well have phoned in their performances.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 04/08/2016
Open Dictionary - August2016

phrasal verbs

phone back

phone in

phone round

phone through

phone up

phone

verb intransitive/transitive

US /foʊn/

Word Forms

present tense
I/you/we/they	phone
he/she/it	phones
present participle	phoning
past tense	phoned
past participle	phoned

1

phone
or
phone up
to use a telephone to call someone
Phone me if you have any questions.
Synonyms and related words
Using a telephone
answer
busy
busy signal
2
mail/phone it in
to work or perform without much effort, interest, or enthusiasm
There have been reports that staffers are just mailing it in.
The cast might as well have phoned in their performances.
Submitted from:
United Kingdom on 04/08/2016
Open Dictionary - August2016

phrasal verbs

phone back

phone in

phone round

phone through

phone up

phone ​‌‌‌

phone ​‌‌‌

phone ​‌‌

phone

phone up

mail/phone it in

phone ​‌‌

phone

phone up

mail/phone it in

phone

phone

phone

phone