telephone

Everyday

1. A telephone is a machine for talking to someone far away by sending sounds as electrical or radio signals. tree →
2. To telephone someone means to call them on the phone. tree →
3. A telephone number is the number you dial to reach someone. tree →

In the lessons

Everyday life and safety: children learn their parents' phone number and the emergency number — 911 in the USA and Canada, 999 or 112 in the UK and Ireland, 000 in Australia, 111 in New Zealand — and to call only in a real emergency, say their address and stay on the line. In science and history: Alexander Graham Bell is credited with the telephone (1870s); sound turns into electrical signals. «Telephone» is also a party game where a whisper changes as it passes along. Phrases: on the telephone, telephone number, mobile phone, answer the telephone, telephone box.

Examples

• Learn your mum's telephone number by heart. tree →
• The telephone rang during dinner. tree →
• In an emergency, telephone 999 for an ambulance. tree →
• Alexander Graham Bell worked on early telephones. tree →
• We made a string telephone with two paper cups. tree →
• Grandma telephoned to say happy birthday. tree →
• Old red telephone boxes are still found in Britain. tree →

Note

The short word «phone» is more common in speech. The verb «telephone» is formal; people usually say «call», «ring» (UK) or «phone». Safety: never give your address or password to an unknown caller; hang up and tell an adult.