telephone

noun telephones

1. countable A telecommunication device which converts data or sounds (usually speech) into electrical signals which are then transmitted to enable two or more people to communicate with each other over a distance; now usually a device having a dial or keypad with numerals for entering a number, etc., to connect with a person, and means (such as a sound or vibration) for alerting one to an incoming call or transmission; also, the handset or receiver of such a device. The telephones so constructed were placed in different rooms. […] Upon singing into the telephone, the tones of the voice were reproduced by the instrument in the distant room. When two persons sang simultaneously into the instrument, two notes were emitted simultaneously by the telephone in the oth
2. abbreviation, archaic, countable Short for telephone call (“a connection established over a telephone network; a conversation held by the parties on this connection”).telephone call
3. countable, figuratively A means of communicating information from one person to another or others. In the terminology associated with this phenomenon, Jach Pursel is known as a "channel"—a vehicle through which "entities" from other planes of existence choose to address human beings. In a more familiar metaphor, Jach is the telephone through which Lazaris places his long distance calls: very long
4. countable, historical, uncountable Now chiefly preceded by a descriptive word: a simple communication device which converts sounds (usually speech) into mechanical vibrations along a string, wire, etc. string telephone    tin can telephone
5. archaic, countable, historical, uncountable A type of foghorn used for sending signals in the form of loud tones or musical notes, especially one invented in the 19th century by John Taylor, a captain in the British Royal Navy. It is not easy to say from these passages (which are all we could find on the subject) what plan [Edward] Davy had in contemplation. In the first quotation he speaks of bells, for which we may read a powerful trumpet at one end, and a concave reflector to focus the sound at the other end; or some ar
6. archaic, countable, historical, uncountable A communication device consisting of two aligned gutta-percha speaking tubes connected to parabolic reflectors which allows speech spoken into one tube to be sent through the air to the other one, invented in the 19th century by the British engineer Francis Whishaw (1804–1856); also, a speaking tube of such a device. While on the subject of gutta-percha, a few words may very well be given to Mr. Whishaw's inventions: among these are speaking-tubes, to supersede bells in private houses or offices. So extraordinary are the conducting powers of this new product, that a whisper may can be conveyed to long distances;
7. archaic, countable, historical, uncountable A system of communication using musical notes, also known as Solresol, invented in 1828 by the French composer Jean-François Sudre (1787–1862). We extract from the France Musicale a few curious particulars relative to the invention of a kind of marine telegraph, called the "Telephone," invented by an ingenious Frenchman, Monsieur Sudre, and by which orders may be transmitted at night, when other means of communication fail. […] A commission
8. Canada, US, uncountable Synonym of Chinese whispers (“a game for several players in which a phrase, whispered by each person in turn to their neighbour, is often unwittingly misunderstood as it is transferred, to humorous effect by the time it reaches the last person and is compared with the original phrase; (figurative) a situation where something is changed or misunderstood as a result of passing through successive people or processes”). And since the spring of 1995, no game of telephone has ended without some Simpsons-loving smart-ass dropping "purple monkey dishwasher" into the chain.

verb telephones · telephoning · telephoned

1. transitive To convey (information, a message, news, etc.) using a telephone (noun sense 1). David telephoned his apologies to his mother. On the way we had had our first puncture, and had taken some time to change the wheel, as we were unable to find the jack.
2. transitive To (attempt to) contact (someone) using a telephone. The length ganger saw the train passing with the van derailed and promptly telephoned the Sandbach signalman, who restored his signals to danger, but not in time to stop the train before the final derailment occurred.
3. obsolete, transitive To provide (a place) with a telephone system. The London County Council prepared careful estimates for telephoning London in 1898, and those estimates were submitted to Parliament. It contended that it could provide a telephone service for the County Council area of London at £38 per subscriber capital outlay, after setting aside the necessary
4. obsolete, transitive To transmit (sounds) over a distance. Do you hear the chemical accents of the sun? / Do you telephone the roar of the waters over the earth?
5. intransitive To (attempt to) contact someone using a telephone; to make a telephone call. I came down like a wolf on the fold, didn't I? Why didn't I telephone? Strategy, my dear boy, strategy. This is a surprise attack, and I'd no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape.

Similar: telephone, call, call up, dial up, drop a line, get on the horn, give someone a bell, give someone a buzz, give someone a call, give someone a jingle, give someone a ring, give someone a tinkle