dial

Etymology

The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).

noun

1. A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).
   The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas.
2. A clock face.
3. A sundial.
4. A panel on a radio etc showing wavelengths or channels; a knob that is turned to change the wavelength etc.
   Turn the dial to Radio 4: my favourite show is on!
5. A disk with finger holes on a telephone; used to select the number to be called.
   His hands were too fat to operate the dial on the telephone.
6. (UK, Australia, slang) A person's face.
   “Well, all I can say is that if yer don't take yer dial outer the road I'll bloomin' well take an' bounce a gibber off yer crust.” 1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 90
   Old Mona Lisa would have looked like a sour lemon beside Angel Day on the rare days she put a smile on her dial, laughing with her friends when some new man was in town. 2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 137
7. A miner's compass.

verb

1. (transitive) To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.
   The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric.
2. (transitive) To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone.
   In an emergency dial 999.
3. (intransitive) To use a dial or a telephone.
   Please be careful when dialling.