dial

A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).

Holonyms: (often holonymous) instrument, gauge

The dial on the dashboard showed the car was nearly out of gas.

A graduated, circular scale over which a needle moves to show a measurement (such as speed).

A sundial.

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!

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.

To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.

The lead guitarist for the rock band Spinal Tap dialed his amplifier to 11.

The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric.

To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone, regardless of whether a physical dial is present.

In an emergency dial 999.

To use a dial or a telephone.

Please be careful when dialling.

To initiate a connection to a remote computer service such as a database.

The application failed when attempting to dial the Postgres server, because there were too many open connections.

To use a dial-up modem to connect a personal computer to the Internet.

I always check my guestbook when I dial, just in case anyone saw my Web site.

A surname.