Library / English Dictionary

PHONE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Electro-acoustic transducer for converting electric signals into sounds; it is held over or inserted into the ear

Example:

it was not the typing but the earphones that she disliked

Synonyms:

earphone; earpiece; headphone; phone

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("phone" is a kind of...):

electro-acoustic transducer (a transducer that converts electrical to acoustic energy or vice versa)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "phone"):

earplug (an earphone that is inserted into the ear canal)

receiver; telephone receiver (earphone that converts electrical signals into sounds)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds

Example:

I talked to him on the telephone

Synonyms:

phone; telephone; telephone set

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("phone" is a kind of...):

electronic equipment (equipment that involves the controlled conduction of electrons (especially in a gas or vacuum or semiconductor))

Meronyms (parts of "phone"):

mouthpiece (an acoustic device; the part of a telephone into which a person speaks)

receiver; telephone receiver (earphone that converts electrical signals into sounds)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "phone"):

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)

extension; extension phone; telephone 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)

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)

Holonyms ("phone" is a part of...):

phone system; telephone system (a communication system that transmits sound between distant points)

Derivation:

phone (get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone)

Sense 3

Meaning:

(phonetics) an individual sound unit of speech without concern as to whether or not it is a phoneme of some language

Synonyms:

phone; sound; speech sound

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Hypernyms ("phone" is a kind of...):

language unit; linguistic unit (one of the natural units into which linguistic messages can be analyzed)

Domain category:

phonetics (the branch of acoustics concerned with speech processes including its production and perception and acoustic analysis)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "phone"):

phoneme ((linguistics) one of a small set of speech sounds that are distinguished by the speakers of a particular language)

vowel; vowel sound (a speech sound made with the vocal tract open)

glide; semivowel (a vowellike sound that serves as a consonant)

consonant (a speech sound that is not a vowel)

orinasal; orinasal phone (a speech sound produced with both the oral and nasal passages open (as French nasal vowels))

sonant; voiced sound (a speech sound accompanied by sound from the vocal cords)

Holonyms ("phone" is a part of...):

utterance; vocalization (the use of uttered sounds for auditory communication)

Derivation:

phonate (utter speech sounds)

phonetic (of or relating to the scientific study of speech sounds)

phonetic; phonic (of or relating to speech sounds)

phonic (relating to speech)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Get or try to get into communication (with someone) by telephone

Example:

Take two aspirin and call me in the morning

Synonyms:

call; call up; phone; ring; telephone

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "phone" is one way to...):

telecommunicate (communicate over long distances, as via the telephone or e-mail)

"Phone" entails doing...:

dial (operate a dial to select a telephone number)

Verb group:

call (send a message or attempt to reach someone by radio, phone, etc.; make a signal to in order to transmit a message)

Domain category:

telephone; telephony (transmitting speech at a distance)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "phone"):

cell phone (call up by using a cellular phone)

call in (make a phone call)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence examples:

Sam cannot phone Sue

They phone

Derivation:

phone (electronic equipment that converts sound into electrical signals that can be transmitted over distances and then converts received signals back into sounds)

phoner (the person initiating a telephone call)

Credits

 Context examples: 

Lightweight semiconducting plastics are now widely used in mass market electronic displays such as those found in phones, tablets and flat-screen televisions.

(Plastic crystals hold key to record-breaking energy transport, Universities of Cambridge)

Included in the phone number are country, city, and area codes needed to uniquely address the telephone.

(Healthcare Facility Telecom Address, NCI Thesaurus/BRIDG)

In the quest to bring technologies closer to the end-user, one particular tool that is increasingly being used for wider purposes than those originally conceived is the mobile phone.

(Scientists design platform to conduct chemical analysis using a smartphone, University of Granada)

Refers to the process by which students and teachers at different sites carry out learning and instruction via cable connection, conventional phone lines, or computer networks.

(Distance Learning, NCI Thesaurus)

Evaluating a device to detect malfunctions caused by electromagnetic interference (unwanted disturbances from an external force e.g. radios, cell phones, or unintentional disturbances of another device)

(Device Electromagnetic Compatibility Evaluation Method, Food and Drug Administration)

Though, many victims sustained direct mechanical injury from cell phones too.

(Mobile phone could cause physical pain, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

Samples were magnified by the built-in lens of the cell phone camera along with an external lens.

(Smartphone microscope detects nanoparticles and viruses, NIH)

Never give out personal information, such as your full name, address, phone number, or school name

(Internet Safety, NIH)

The miniaturizing technology, called implosion fabrication, could be applied to anything from developing smaller microscope and cell phone lenses to creating tiny robots that improve everyday life.

(Researchers Use Laser to Shrink Objects to Nanoscale, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

It means operating a motor vehicle while you are affected by: • Alcohol • Legal or illegal drugs • Sleepiness • Distractions, such as using a cell phone or texting • Having a medical condition which affects your driving

(Impaired Driving, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)