[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

dial \di"al\, n. ll. dialis daily, fr. l. dies day. see
   deity.
   1. an instrument, formerly much used for showing the time of
      day from the shadow of a style or gnomon on a graduated
      arc or surface; esp., a sundial; but there are lunar and
      astral dials. the style or gnomon is usually parallel to
      the earth's axis, but the dial plate may be either
      horizontal or vertical.
      1913 webster

   2. the graduated face of a timepiece, on which the time of
      day is shown by pointers or hands.
      1913 webster

   3. a miner's compass.
      1913 webster

   dial bird zool., an indian bird copsychus saularius,
      allied to the european robin. the name is also given to
      other related species.

   dial lock, a lock provided with one or more plates having
      numbers or letters upon them. these plates must be
      adjusted in a certain determined way before the lock can
      be operated.

   dial plate, the plane or disk of a dial or timepiece on
      which lines and figures for indicating the time are
      placed.
      1913 webster
see also:
deity dial bird copsychus saularius dial lock dial plate 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

dial \di"al\, v. t. imp.  p. p. dialedor dialled; p. pr. 
   vb. n. dialing or dialling.
   1. to measure with a dial.
      1913 webster

            hours of that true time which is dialed in heaven.
                                                  --talfourd.
      1913 webster

   2. mining to survey with a dial. --raymond.
      1913 webster
see also:
dialed dialled dialing dialling 

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

dial
     n 1: the face of a timepiece; graduated to show the hours
     2: the control on a radio or television set that is used for
        tuning
     3: the circular graduated indicator on various measuring
        instruments
     4: a disc on a telephone that is rotated a fixed distance for
        each number called syn: telephone dial
     v 1: operate a dial to select a telephone number; "you must take
          the receiver off the hook before you dial"
     2: choose by means of a dial; "dial a telephone number"
     also: dialling, dialled
see also:
telephone dial dialling dialled 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

60 moby thesaurus words for "dial":
   appraise, appreciate, assay, assess, buzz, calculate, calibrate,
   caliper, call, call up, check a parameter, compute, countenance,
   divide, estimate, evaluate, face, fathom, features, gauge,
   give a ring, graduate, hang up, hold the phone, kisser, listen in,
   make a call, map, measure, mensurate, mete, meter, mug, pace, pan,
   phiz, phone, plumb, prize, probe, puss, quantify, quantize, rate,
   ring, ring off, ring up, size, size up, sound, span, step, survey,
   take a reading, telephone, triangulate, valuate, value, visage,
   weigh

[5] : Easton's 1897 Bible Dictionary

dial
   for the measurement of time, only once mentioned in the bible,
   erected by ahaz 2 kings 20:11; isa. 38:8. the hebrew word
   ma'aloth is rendered "steps" in ex. 20:26, 1 kings 10:19, and
   "degrees" in 2 kings 20:9, 10, 11. the _ma'aloth_ was probably
   stairs on which the shadow of a column or obelisk placed on the
   top fell. the shadow would cover a greater or smaller number of
   steps, according as the sun was low or high.
   
     probably the sun-dial was a babylonian invention. daniel at
   babylon dan. 3:6 is the first to make mention of the "hour."
   

Dial >> D Words
Dial, definition of term: Dial
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