Etymology The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).
“Well, all I can say is that if yer don't take yer dial outer the road I'll bloomin' well take an' bounce a gibber off yer crust.”1918, Norman Lindsay, The Magic Pudding, page 90:
At the sound of the old familiar voice he spun around with something of the agility of a cat on hot bricks, and I saw that his dial, usually cheerful, was contorted with anguish, as if he had swallowed a bad oyster.1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter IX, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
1 more example
Old Mona Lisa would have looked like a sour lemon beside Angel Day on the rare days she put a smile on her dial, laughing with her friends when some new man was in town.2006, Alexis Wright, Carpentaria, Giramondo, published 2012, page 137:
7
A miner's compass.
dial
verb
Etymology The original meaning was 'sundial' and/or 'clock dial'; from Middle English diall, from Middle French dyal, from Latin diālis (“daily, concerning the day”), because of its use in telling the time of day, from Latin diēs (“day”). Compare Spanish dial and día (“day”).
1
To control or select something with a dial, or (figuratively) as if with a dial.
The lead guitarist for the rock band Spinal Tap dialed his amplifier to 11.
The president has recently dialled down the rhetoric.
2
To select a number, or to call someone, on a telephone, regardless of whether a physical dial is present.
In an emergency dial 999.
3
To use a dial or a telephone.
Please be careful when dialling.
4
To initiate a connection to a remote computer service such as a database.
The application failed when attempting to dial the Postgres server, because there were too many open connections.
5
Dated To use a dial-up modem to connect a personal computer to the Internet.
I always check my guestbook when I dial, just in case anyone saw my Web site.