dial up meaning: definition, quotations

dial-up

adjalso spelled dial-up

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences Requiring a telephone number to be dialed.

Of a connection to a network

dial-up networking
In dial-up networking, both your PC and the remote system run network-protocol (called TCP/IP) software. When your PC dials up and sets up a communication path, the network protocols exchange data packets over that dial-up connection.2004, Naba Barkakati, “Setting Up Dial-Up Networking”, in Red Hat Fedora Linux 2 All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies, John Wiley & Sons, →ISBN, page 285:

dial-up

noun

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A network connection that requires a telephone number to be dialed.

Related terms: always-on, dial-in

dial up

verb

To telephone, to call on the telephone.

The written instructions weren't clear, so I dialed her up and asked her to explain what she meant.

To connect a computer to a modem.

In those days it took three minutes just to dial up, and every minute you were connected was costing you a higher phone bill.

To increase the level (of something) by turning a dial, or (figuratively) as if by turning a dial.

Near-synonym: ratchet up
These comments are guaranteed to dial up the animosity.

1 more example

Think Bernie Sanders versus Kamala Harris, but dialled up to France where revolution is part of the national psyche.2025 May 3, Leila Abboud, “Lunch with the FT: Jean-Luc Mélenchon”, in FT Weekend (Life & Arts section), London: The Financial Times Ltd., →ISSN, →OCLC, page 3:

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — authors: page histories for dial-up and dial up.