Collocations for phone - noun
ADJECTIVE
cell (usually cellphone),
cellular (esp. AmE),
mobile
(BrE)
pay (usually payphone), public
There's a public payphone in reception.
pay (usually payphone), public
There's a public payphone in reception.
office
home, private
I called his cellphone and then his home phone.
home, private
I called his cellphone and then his home phone.
landline
car
cordless
hands-free, speaker (usually speakerphone)
I switched over to speakerphone.
car
cordless
hands-free, speaker (usually speakerphone)
I switched over to speakerphone.
digital
satellite
camera
clamshell (BrE), flip (AmE)
3G (BrE), Bluetooth™, smart (usually smartphone), VoIP (= Voice over Internet Protocol), WAP, Web-enabled, wireless (esp. AmE), etc.
satellite
camera
clamshell (BrE), flip (AmE)
3G (BrE), Bluetooth™, smart (usually smartphone), VoIP (= Voice over Internet Protocol), WAP, Web-enabled, wireless (esp. AmE), etc.
VERB + phone
be on
She's on the phone at the moment.
She's on the phone at the moment.
use
Can I use your phone?
Can I use your phone?
call (sb on)
I called his cellphone but no one answered.
He called me on my mobile phone.
I called his cellphone but no one answered.
He called me on my mobile phone.
answer,
get (informal),
grab (informal),
lift,
pick up
If the phone rings, don't answer it.
Can you get the phone?
I grabbed the phone and called Josie's number.
If the phone rings, don't answer it.
Can you get the phone?
I grabbed the phone and called Josie's number.
hang up,
put down,
replace
I hung up the phone when he started shouting at me.
I hung up the phone when he started shouting at me.
slam down
She slammed the phone down in a rage.
She slammed the phone down in a rage.
cradle,
hold
She cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder.
a £30 fine if caught holding a phone while driving
She cradled the phone between her ear and shoulder.
a £30 fine if caught holding a phone while driving
be wanted on
Dad, you're wanted on the phone.
Dad, you're wanted on the phone.
call sb to
He was called to the phone just as he was leaving.
He was called to the phone just as he was leaving.
connect
disconnect, unplug
bug, tap
I think our phone is being tapped.
disconnect, unplug
bug, tap
I think our phone is being tapped.
wait by
She waits by the phone all day but he doesn't call.
She waits by the phone all day but he doesn't call.
leave off the hook,
take off the hook
I couldn't get through because you'd left the phone off the hook.
I couldn't get through because you'd left the phone off the hook.
switch off,
switch on,
turn off,
turn on
Please switch off all mobile phones.
I turned on my phone.
Please switch off all mobile phones.
I turned on my phone.
phone + VERB
go (esp. BrE),
go off,
ring,
vibrate
My mobile phone went off during the movie.
Vincent's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.
My mobile phone went off during the movie.
Vincent's cell phone vibrated in his pocket.
ring off the hook
The phone was ringing off the hook (= ringing continuously).
The phone was ringing off the hook (= ringing continuously).
be busy (esp. AmE),
be engaged
(BrE)
The phone was busy when I called.
His phone is almost permanently engaged.
The phone was busy when I called.
His phone is almost permanently engaged.
be off the hook
go dead
The phone suddenly went dead in the middle of our conversation.
go dead
The phone suddenly went dead in the middle of our conversation.
phone + NOUN
number
book, directory
bill
call, conversation, interview, message
user
operator
card (usually phonecard)
company, network, service
bank (esp. AmE)
She was working a phone bank for the Democrats.
book, directory
bill
call, conversation, interview, message
user
operator
card (usually phonecard)
company, network, service
bank (esp. AmE)
She was working a phone bank for the Democrats.
booth,
box
(BrE)
line
The modem links the computer to a phone line.
line
The modem links the computer to a phone line.
keypad
handset, receiver
the modern business of selling phone handsets
I picked up the phone receiver and pressed it to my ear.
handset, receiver
the modern business of selling phone handsets
I picked up the phone receiver and pressed it to my ear.
cord
charger
I've lost my phone charger.
charger
I've lost my phone charger.
records
The search of the phone records yielded nothing.
The search of the phone records yielded nothing.
PREPOSITION
by phone
We keep in contact by phone but we rarely see each other.
We keep in contact by phone but we rarely see each other.
on the phone
We spoke on the phone the other day.
We spoke on the phone the other day.
over the phone
I haven't seen her but we spoke over the phone.
I haven't seen her but we spoke over the phone.