telephone
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++tel·e·phone1 /ˈteləfəʊn $ -foʊn/ ●●● S1 W2 noun 1 the telephone TCTTELEPHONEthe system of communication that you use to have a conversation with someone in another place 电话 SYN phoneby telephone Reservations can be made by telephone. 可以电话预订。on the telephone I’ve never met him, but I’ve spoken to him on the telephone. 我从来没见过他，但我和他通过电话。over the telephone I read the names out to him over the telephone. 我在电话里把名字读给他听。down the telephone British English He shouted at me down the telephone. 他在电话里对我大喊大叫。 RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say phone rather than telephone: 在日常英语中，人们一般说 phone，而不说telephoneShe’s been on the phone all evening. 她打了一整晚电话。 →4 See picture on 见图 Page A8 In the office 办公室里2 [countable]TCTTELEPHONE the piece of equipment that you use when you are talking to someone by telephone 电话机 SYN phone The telephone rang just as I was leaving. 我正要走，电话铃响了。 She picked up the telephone and dialled a number. 她拿起电话，拨了个号码。 I said goodbye and put down the telephone. 我说了声再见就放下了电话。3 be on the telephone a) TCTTELEPHONEto be talking to someone, using the telephone 正在打电话 I was on the telephone when he came in. 他进来时我正在打电话。 b) TCTto have a telephone in your home, office etc 〔家里、办公室里等〕有电话 COLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2verbsa telephone rings 电话铃响The telephone rang, but Tom didn’t answer it. 电话铃响了，但汤姆没接。answer the telephone 接电话When I called the house, Mike answered the telephone. 我打电话到家里，迈克接的。talk on the telephone 打电话He was talking on the telephone when the doorbell rang. 门铃响时，他正在打电话。use the telephone 用电话May I use your telephone? 我可以用一下你的电话吗？pick up the telephone 拿起电话nAs soon as she got home, she picked up the telephone and dialled his number.put down the telephone 放下电话nBefore he could respond, she’d put down the telephone.call somebody on the telephone 打电话给某人nHer son doesn’t even call her on the telephone.telephone + NOUNa telephone call 电话She got a telephone call from Joe last night. 昨晚她接到乔的电话。a telephone conversation 电话交谈We had a long telephone conversation. 我们在电话里谈了很长时间。a telephone line 电话线nThey didn’t even have a telephone line.COMMON ERRORS ► Don’t say ‘get/have a telephone from somebody’. Say get/have a telephone call from somebody. 不要说 ‘get/have a telephone from somebody’。 而要说 get/have a telephone call from somebody。
Examples from the Corpus
telephone• a telephone conversation• a cordless telephone• Recreation areas have telephones and pool tables.• White-bead chains that held dosimeters, radiation-sensing devices resembling large telephone pagers, were looped around their necks.• Is that my telephone ringing?• Others support the current regulated telephone system model.• The naval attaché's telephone in London was also intercepted.• And he's fond of Jean-Claude, he's always on the telephone ...• Fran hung up the telephone and looked out the window.• Members based outside of London used the telephone service or wrote to the library for answers to 1,465 queries about banking practice.• He said the campaign had identified Gramm supporters and worked the telephones to get them to the polls.put down the telephone• Melissa murmured some banal phrases of encouragement and put down the telephone with a feeling of desolation.• Ron had just put down the telephone.telephone2 ●●○ verb [intransitive, transitive] British English formalTCTTELEPHONE to talk to someone by telephone （给…）打电话 SYN phone, call Sammy telephoned to say that he would be late. 萨米打电话来说他要晚到。 I’ll telephone you later. 我过后给你打电话。► see thesaurus at phone→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
telephone• For details of your nearest tourist office telephone 4127.• He would have to telephone around and see if anyone else had any titbits to add to the mystery.• About five o'clock, a woman telephoned Bernstein.• Write or telephone for more information.• He had tried to telephone his wife once, but without success: the line was engaged.• Advertisements are placed in the press, and potential purchasers are invited to telephone or fill in a coupon for further details.• At 4:45 a.m., neighbors telephoned police to report a man firing shots.• I telephoned Sophie and arranged to have dinner with her the following night.• Police take violators to a special detention center and telephone their homes.• Mr Dodd telephoned this morning.• He wanted me to telephone you at once and ask you to come to Danzig.From Longman Business Dictionarytelephonetel‧e‧phone1 /ˈteləfəʊn-foʊn/ noun [countable] a piece of equipment you use to talk to someone who is in another placeSYN phonetelephonetelephone2 verb [intransitive, transitive] to talk to someone by telephoneSYN call, phoneShe telephoned to say that he would be late.I’ll telephone you later.→ See Verb tableOrigin telephone1 (1800-1900) tele- + Greek phone “sound, voice”tel·e·phone1 noun →REGISTER1 →COLLOCATIONS1telephone2 verbLDOCE OnlineChineseSyllable
system the of to you that Business Corpus use communication
telephone
tel‧e‧phone1 S1 W2 /ˈteləfəʊn, ˈtelɪfəʊn $ -foʊn/ 
noun
SYN phone
by telephone
Reservations can be made by telephone.
on the telephone
I’ve never met him, but I’ve spoken to him on the telephone.
over the telephone
I read the names out to him over the telephone.
down the telephone British English:
He shouted at me down the telephone.
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say phone rather than telephone:
▪She’s been on the phone all evening.
2. [countable] the piece of equipment that you use when you are talking to someone by telephone
SYN phone:
The telephone rang just as I was leaving.
She picked up the telephone and dialled a number.
I said goodbye and put down the telephone.
3. be on the telephone
a. to be talking to someone, using the telephone:
I was on the telephone when he came in.
b. to have a telephone in your home, office etc
■ verbs
▪a telephone rings The telephone rang, but Tom didn’t answer it.
▪answer the telephone When I called the house, Mike answered the telephone.
▪talk on the telephone He was talking on the telephone when the doorbell rang.
▪use the telephone May I use your telephone?
▪pick up the telephone As soon as she got home, she picked up the telephone and dialled his number.
▪put down the telephone Before he could respond, she’d put down the telephone.
▪call somebody on the telephone Her son doesn’t even call her on the telephone.
■ telephone + NOUN
▪a telephone call She got a telephone call from Joe last night.
▪a telephone conversation We had a long telephone conversation.
▪a telephone line They didn’t even have a telephone line.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'get/have a telephone from somebody'. Say get/have a telephone call from somebody.
telephone2 verb [intransitive and transitive]
British English formal to talk to someone by telephone
SYN phone, call:
Sammy telephoned to say that he would be late.
I’ll telephone you later.
▪ phone to speak to someone by telephone. Phone is more common in British English than American English: I’ll phone you tomorrow.
▪call to phone someone. Call is used in both British and American English: One of the neighbors called the police. | Call me later.
▪ring British English spoken to phone someone. Ring is more informal than phone or call: I can ring her at the office tomorrow.
▪give somebody a call (also give somebody a ring ) spoken to phone someone: If you ever come to Seattle, give me a call. | I’ll give the hospital a ring and see how he is.
▪telephone formal to phone someone: Angry listeners telephoned the BBC to complain.
▪Skype /skaɪp/ trademark to make a telephone call using special software that allows you to make calls over the Internet: I Skyped her last night and we spoke for hours.
| I |
noun Date: 1800-1900
Origin: tele- + Greek phone 'sound, voice'
1. the telephone the system of communication that you use to have a conversation with someone in another place Origin: tele- + Greek phone 'sound, voice'
SYN phone
by telephone
on the telephone
over the telephone
down the telephone British English:
REGISTER
In everyday English, people usually say phone rather than telephone:
▪
2. [countable] the piece of equipment that you use when you are talking to someone by telephone
SYN phone:
3. be on the telephone
a. to be talking to someone, using the telephone:
b. to have a telephone in your home, office etc
| COLLOCATIONS |
| (for Meanings 1 & 2) |
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■ telephone + NOUN
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■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'get/have a telephone from somebody'. Say get/have a telephone call from somebody.
| II |
verb [intransitive and transitive]British English formal to talk to someone by telephone
SYN phone, call:
| THESAURUS |
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Making and receiving phone calls 打／接电话
the phone/telephone rings 电话铃响了 answer/pick up/hang up the phone/telephone接／挂电话 lift/pick up/hold/replace the receiver拿起／拿着／放回听筒 dial a (phone/wrong) number/an extension number/an area code拨打（电话）号码；拨错号码；拨打分机号码；拨打区号 call sb/talk (to sb)/speak (to sb) on the phone/telephone; from home/work/the office给某人打电话；从家里／工作地点／办公室给某人打电话 make/get/receive a phone call打／接电话 take the phoneoff the hook (= remove the receiver so that the phone does not ring)摘下电话听筒 the line is ( BrE engaged/ ( especially
NAmE busy 占线 the phones have been ( NAmE ringing off the hook (= ringing frequently)电话铃声不断 put sb through/get through to the person you want to speak to给某人接通另一人的电话；打通电话 put sb on hold (= so that they must wait for the person they want to speak to)让某人不要挂上电话（以便等想找的人接电话） call from/use a landline用座机打电话
Mobile/cell phones 手机
be/talk on a( mobile phone/mobile/both
BrE ( cell phone/especially
NAmE ( cellespecially
NAmE 用手机讲电话 use/answer/call (sb on)/get a message on your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell使用／接听／拨打某人的手机；用手机接收信息 switch/turn on/off your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell开启／关闭手机 charge/recharge your mobile phone/mobile/cell phone/cell给手机充电 a mobile/cell phone is on/is off/rings/goes off 手机开机／关机／响铃／没电关机 ( BrE top up your mobile (phone)给手机充值 send/receive a text (message)/an SMS (message)/a fax发送／接收信息／短信／传真 insert/remove/change a SIM card插入／取出／更换 SIM 卡
especially
Verbs 动词
In BrE to phone ,to ring andto call are the usual ways of sayingto telephone . InNAmE call , butphone is also used. Speakers ofNAmE ring .Telephone is very formal and is used mainly inBrE 在英式英语中，phone、ring 和 call 为表示打电话的惯常用语。在美式英语中，call 最常用，但也用 phone。说美式英语的人不用 ring。telephone 非常正式，主要用于英式英语。
Nouns 名词
You can use call orphone call (more formal) in bothBrE NAmE 在英式英语和美式英语中，用 call 或 phone call（较正式）均可 ：◆ Were there any phone calls for me? 有我的电话吗？ ◆ How do I make a local call? 本地电话怎么打？ The idiom give sb a call is also common.习语 give sb a call 亦常用 ：◆ I'll give you a call tonight. 我今晚会给你打电话。 In informal BrE 非正式英式英语中亦可说 ：◆ I'll give you a ring tonight. 我今晚会给你打电话。