telephone

tel·e·phone  (tl-fn)

n.

An instrument that converts voice and other sound signals into a form that can be transmitted to remote locations and that receives and reconverts waves into sound signals.

v. tel·e·phoned, tel·e·phon·ing, tel·e·phones

v.tr.

1. To speak with (a person) by telephone.

2. To initiate or make a telephone connection with; place a call to.

3. To transmit (a message, for example) by telephone.

v.intr.

To engage in communication by telephone.

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tele·phoner n.

Word History: The everyday word telephone illustrates some important linguistic and etymological processes. First, the noun telephone is one of a class of technological and scientific words made up of combining forms derived from classical languages, in this case tele- and -phone. Tele- is from the Greek combining form tle- or tl-, a form of tle, meaning "afar, far off," while -phone is from Greek phn, "sound, voice." Such words derived from classical languages can be put together in French or German, for example, as well as in English. Which language actually gave birth to them cannot always be determined. In this case French téléphone (about 1830) seems to have priority. The word was used for an acoustic apparatus, as it originally was in English (1844). Alexander Graham Bell appropriated the word for his invention in 1876, and in 1877 we have the first instance of the verb telephone meaning "to speak to by telephone." The verb is an example of a linguistic process called functional shift. This occurs when a word develops a new part of speech: a noun is used as a verb (to date), a verb as a noun (a break), an adjective as a noun (the rich), a noun as an adjective (a stone wall), or even an adjective as a verb (to round). When we telephone a friend, we are changing the syntactic function of telephone, making it a verb rather than a noun.

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telephone

Noun

1. a piece of equipment for transmitting speech, consisting of a microphone and receiver mounted on a handset: the telephone was ringing

2. the worldwide system of communications using telephones: reports came in by telephone

Verb

[-phoning, -phoned]

to call or talk to (a person) by telephone

Adjective

of or using a telephone: a telephone call [Greek tele far + phōnē voice]

telephonic adj

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	telephone - electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds; "I talked to him on the telephone" phone, telephone set desk phone - a telephone set that sits on a desk or table dial phone, dial telephone - a telephone with a dial for registering the number to be called electronic equipment - equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor) extension phone, telephone extension, extension - an additional telephone set that is connected to the same telephone line French telephone, handset - telephone set with the mouthpiece and earpiece mounted on a single handle mouthpiece - an acoustic device; the part of a telephone into which a person speaks pay-phone, pay-station - a coin-operated telephone radiophone, radiotelephone, wireless telephone - a telephone that communicates by radio waves rather than along cables speakerphone - a telephone with a microphone and loudspeaker; can be used without picking up a handset; several people can participate in a call at the same time telephone receiver, receiver - earphone that converts electrical signals into sounds phone system, telephone system - a communication system that transmits sound between distant points
	2.	telephone - transmitting speech at a distance     telephony telecom, telecommunication - (often plural) systems used in transmitting messages over a distance electronically voice mail, voicemail - a computerized system for answering and routing telephone calls; telephone messages can be recorded and stored and relayed call, phone call, telephone call - a telephone connection; "she reported several anonymous calls"; "he placed a phone call to London"; "he heard the phone ringing but didn't want to take the call" call forwarding - lets you transfer your incoming calls to any telephone that you can dial direct call waiting - a way of letting you know that someone else is calling when you are using your telephone phone, telephone, call up, call, ring - get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone; "I tried to call you all night"; "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" cell phone - call up by using a cellular phone; "If the train is late, I will cell phone you" call in - make a phone call; "call in to a radio station"; "call in sick" dial - operate a dial to select a telephone number; "You must take the receiver off the hook before you dial" hold the line, hang on, hold on - hold the phone line open; "Please hang on while I get your folder"
Verb	1.	telephone - get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone; "I tried to call you all night"; "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning" phone, call up, call, ring telephony, telephone - transmitting speech at a distance cell phone - call up by using a cellular phone; "If the train is late, I will cell phone you" call in - make a phone call; "call in to a radio station"; "call in sick" telecommunicate - communicate over long distances, as via the telephone or e-mail call - send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message; "Hawaii is calling!"; "A transmitter in Samoa was heard calling"

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telephone

noun 1. phone, blower (informal) mobile (phone), handset, dog and bone (slang)

verb 2. call, phone, ring chiefly Brit. buzz (informal) dial, call up, give someone a call, give someone a ring (informal), chiefly Brit. give someone a buzz (informal) give someone a bell Brit. (slang) put a call through to, give someone a tinkle Brit. (informal) get on the blower to (informal)

Translations

telephone [ˈtɛlɪfəun] n → teléfono

vt → llamar por teléfono, telefonear;

to be on the telephone (subscriber) → tener teléfono;

(be speaking) → estar hablando por teléfono

telephone [ˈtɛlɪfəun] n → téléphone m

vt [+ person] → téléphoner à [+ message]; téléphoner;

to have a telephone (Brit);

to be on the telephone [subscriber] → être abonné(e) au téléphone;

to be on the telephone (= be speaking) → être au téléphone

telephone [ˈtɛlɪfəun] n → Telefon nt

vt [+ person] → anrufen

vi → anrufen, telefonieren;

to be on the telephone (talking) → telefonieren (= possessing phone); ein Telefon haben

telephone [ˈtɛlɪfəun] n → telefono

vt [+ person] → telefonare a [+ message]; telefonare;

to have a telephone (BRIT);

to be on the telephone [subscriber] → avere il telefono;

to be on the telephone (= be speaking) → essere al telefono

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telephone

n telephone [ˈtelifəun]

(often abbreviated to phone) foun an instrument for speaking to someone from a distance, using either an electric current which passes along a wire or radio waves He spoke to me by telephone / on the telephone; (also adjective ) a telephone number/operator. telefoon تلفون، هاتِف телефон telefon(ický) telefon; telefon- das Telefon; Telefon... τηλέφωνο, τηλεφωνικός teléfono telefon تلفن puhelin (de) téléphone טֶלֶפוֹן टेलीफोन telefon telefon telepon sími telefono; di telefono, telefonico 電話 전화 telefonas telefons telefon telefoon telefon telefon, telefone (de) telefon телефон; телефонный telefón; telefonický telefon; telefonski telefon telefon โทรศัพท์ telefon 電話機 телефон ٹيلي فون điện thoại 电话机

(often abbreviated to phone [foun]) v

1 to (try to) speak to (someone) by means of the telephone I'll telephone you tomorrow. telefoneer يَتَحَدَّث بالهاتِف телефонирам (za)telefonovat ringe til anrufen τηλεφωνώ telefonear, llamar por teléfono helistama تلفن زدن soittaa téléphoner (à) לְטַלפֵּן टेलीफोन करना telefonirati, govoriti telefonski telefonál menelepon hringja í telefonare 電話をかける 전화로 말하다 paskambinti (telefonu) telefonēt, zvanīt pa telefonu menelefon telefoneren telefonere telefonować, dzwonić telefonar a tele­fona звонить telefonovať telefonirati pozvati telefonom telefonera, ringa คุยหรือพูดกันทางโทรศัพท์ telefon etmek 打電話 дзвонити, телефонувати ٹيلي فون سے بات کرنا gọi điện cho ai 打电话

2 to send (a message) or ask for (something) by means of the telephone I'll telephone for a taxi. skakel, roep يُرْسِلُ أو يَطْلُبُ بالهاتِف позвънявам telefonovat ringe efter telefonieren τηλεφωνώ για κτ., καλώ telefonear, llamar por teléfono telefoni teel teatama, telefoni teel tellima با تلفن درخواست کردن järjestää puhelimitse téléphoner לְטַלפֵּן टेलीफ़ोन करना telefonirati, javiti telefonski telefonál menelepon hringja í telefonare 電話で伝える 전화로 전하다 pranešti/užsakyti telefonu pasūtīt/ziņot pa telefonu menelefon telefoneren telefonere til telefonować, dzwonić telefonar a telefona передавать, вызывать по телефону telefonovať telefonirati pozvati telefonom telefonera, ringa ติดต่อทางโทรศัพท์ telefon etmek 用電話告知 викликати по телефону ٹيلي فون کے ذريعہ پيغام بھيجنا gửi tin qua điện thoại 用电话告知

3 to reach or make contact with (another place) by means of the telephone Can one telephone England from Australia? bel يَتَّصِلُ بالهاتِف свързвам се telefonovat ringe telefonieren τηλεφωνώ telefonear, llamar por teléfono, hacer una llamada telefoni teel ühendust saama تلفن کردن soittaa puhelimella téléphoner (à, en, chez) לְטַלפֵּן टेलीफ़ोन पर समाचार भेजना या बात करना telefonirati, nazvati telefonom telefonál menelepon hringja til telefonare 電話をかける ...에 전화를 걸다 paskambinti į sazvanīt; dabūt savienojumu menelefon bellen nå over telefonen telefonować, dzwonić telefonar a telefona связываться по телефону telefonovať telefonirati pozvati telefonom telefonera (ringa) till การสื่อสารทางโทรศัพท์ telefon etmek 通電話 подзвонити رابطہ کرنا liên lạc bằng điện thoại 通电话

n teˈlephonist [-ˈle-]

a person who operates a telephone switchboard in a telephone exchange. telefonis عامِل التِّلفون телефонист telefonista, -ka omstillingsdame der/die Telefonist(in) τηλεφωνητής, τηλεφωνήτρια telefonista telefonist تلفن چی puhelunvälittäjä téléphoniste מֵרכַּזָן/מֵרכַּזָנִית टेलीफोन करने वाला telefonist telefonkezelő operator telepon símavörður telefonista 電話交換手 전화 교환수 telefonistas telefonists operator telefon telefonist sentralbordbetjent telefonista telefonista telefonist телефонист telefonista, -ka telefonist telefonista telefonist พนักงานต่อสายโทรศัพท์ santral memuru 話務員 телефоніст(ка) ٹيلي فون مشين پر کام کرنے والا người trực tổng đại điện thoại 话务员

telephone booth, *telephone box

a small room or compartment containing a telephone for public use. telefoonhokkie حُجْرَة أو كُشْك التِّلفون العُمومي телефонна кабинка telefonní kabina telefonboks die Telefonzelle τηλεφωνικός θάλαμος cabina de teléfono, cabina telefónica telefonikabiin باجه تلفن puhelinkoppi cabine téléphonique תַּא טֶלֶפוֹן टेलीफोन बूथ telefonska govornica telefonfülke gardu telepon símaklefi cabina telefonica 公衆電話 공중 전화 박스 telefono būdelė telefona kabīne pondok telefon telefooncel telefonkiosk/-boks budka telefoniczna cabine telefónica cabină telefonică телефонная будка telefónna búdka, al. kabínka telefonska govorilnica telefonska govornica telefonkiosk, -bås ตู้โทรศัพท์ telefon kulübesi 公用電話亭 телефон-автомат ٹيلي فون کي دکان điện thoại công cộng 公用电话亭

telephone directory

a book containing a list of the names, addresses and telephone numbers of all the people with telephones in a particular area Look them up in the telephone directory. telefoongids دَليل التِّلفون телефонен указател telefonní seznam telefonbog das Telefonbuch τηλεφωνικός κατάλογος guía telefónica telefoniraamat دفترچه راهنمای تلفن puhelinluettelo annuaire du téléphone מַדרִיך טֶלֶפוֹן टेलीफोन पुस्तिका जिसमें फोन नम्बर छपे हो telefonski imenik telefonkönyv petunjuk telepon símaskrá elenco telefonico 電話帳 전화 번호부 telefonų knyga telefona abonentu grāmata buku panduan telefon telefoongids telefonkatalog książka telefoniczna lista telefónica carte de telefon телефонный справочник telefónny zoznam telefonski imenik telefonski imenik telefonkatalog สมุดโทรศัพท์ telefon rehberi 電話號碼簿 телефонний довідник ٹيلي فون کتاب جس ميں فون نمبرات درج ہوں danh bạ điện thoại 电话号码簿

telephone exchange

a central control through which telephone calls are directed. telefoonsentrale مَقْسَم الهاتِف، بَدّالَة التِّلفون телефонен център telefonní centrála omstilling die Telefonzentrale τηλεφωνικό κέντρο central telefónica telefonikeskjaam مخابرات puhelinvaihde central téléphonique מִרכֶּזֶת טֶלֶפוֹנִים दूरभाष संचार केन्द्र telefonska centrala távbeszélő-központ pusat telepon símstöð centralino telefonico 電話交換局 전화 교환국 (centrinė) telefono stotis telefona centrāle ibu sawat telefon telefooncentrale telefonsentral centrala telefoniczna central telefónica centrală telefonică телефонная станция; коммутатор telefónna centrála telefonska centrala telefonska centrala telefonväxel ชุมสายโทรศัพท์ telefon santralı 電話交換機 телефонна станція ٹيلي فون کا مرکزي دفتر tổng đài điện thoại 电话交换机