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# dial

noun (a dial, dials); verb (dial, dials, dialled/dialed, dialling/dialing)

«dial» in the English dictionary: everyday and in Jewish tradition — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A dial is the round face of a clock, watch or measuring instrument, with numbers and a pointer. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#m1)
2. A dial is a round control that you turn to change something, like the volume or the oven temperature. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#m2)
3. To dial a number is to press or turn the numbers to make a phone call. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#m3)

### In the lessons

In maths and science, reading a dial is like reading a scale: look where the pointer is and count the steps between the numbers. In everyday life and safety you dial 999 (UK, Ireland), 911 (USA, Canada), 000 (Australia) or 111 (New Zealand) in an emergency. Phrases: dial a number, turn the dial, a clock dial, dial up, dial down.

### Examples

- Turn the dial to make the radio louder. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x1)
- The pointer on the dial showed 40 degrees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x2)
- In an emergency, dial 999. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x3)
- She dialled her grandma's number. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x4)
- The kitchen scales have a dial instead of a screen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x5)
- The watch has a blue dial. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x6)
- Read the dial carefully before you write down the reading. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x7)
- But go to my brother who grows round the old sun-dial, and perhaps he will give you what you want.” [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/#x8)

### Note

Verb spelling: British dialled, dialling (double l); American dialed, dialing. Countable noun: a dial, dials. Maths trap: when reading a dial, check what each small mark stands for; it may count by 2, 5 or 10.

## In Jewish tradition

It means a stairway or steps on which a shadow showed the time, called the dial of Ahaz.

**Interpretation.** When King Hezekiah was ill, the shadow went back ten steps as a sign of his healing. Tradition counts it as a great miracle.

### Examples

- And Isaiah the prophet cried unto the LORD; and he brought the shadow ten degrees backward, by which it had gone down on the dial of Ahaz. (Prophets 2KI.20.11, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/dial/#x1)
- behold, I will cause the shadow of the dial, which is gone down on the sun-dial of Ahaz, to return backward ten degrees.' So the sun returned ten degrees, by which degrees it was gone down. (Prophets ISA.38.8, JPS 1917) [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/dial/#x2)

### Note

Verb spelling: British dialled, dialling (double l); American dialed, dialing. Countable noun: a dial, dials. Maths trap: when reading a dial, check what each small mark stands for; it may count by 2, 5 or 10.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «dial» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/D/dial/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«dial» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/dial.html) on Mova free.
- [Trees and pragmatics of «dial» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/judaism/D/dial/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«dial» in the Judaism dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/judaism/w/dial.html) on Mova free.