Collocations for telephone - noun

pay, public | office, private
The office telephones were all out of order.

cellular, cordless, mobile, portable | radio, satellite

use
Can I use your telephone?

be on
Don''t pester me now - I''m on the telephone. | We''re not on the telephone, so you''ll have to come round to the house.

answer, get (informal), pick up
Hang on - I''ll just get the telephone.

hang up, put down
She put down the telephone and burst into tears.

leave/take off the hook
I''ve been trying to phone him all day - he must have left his telephone off the hook.

be wanted on
The waiter came to tell me I was wanted on the telephone.

call sb to
He was called to the telephone just as he was leaving.

bug, tap | connect, install | disconnect

ring, shrill
The telephone was ringing furiously. | The telephone shrilled into the silence.

be off the hook

number | book, directory | bill | call, message | conversation, enquiry, interview, query, survey | contact
She is in telephone contact with headquarters.

helpline, hotline, support
The charity has set up a 24-hour telephone helpline.

company | banking, marketing, service | charges | cord, headset, receiver | cable, exchange, line, network, switchboard, system, wire | box, kiosk | voice
A good telephone voice can do much to improve the temper of irate callers.

by ~
Can I get in touch by telephone?

on the ~
She sounded very distant on the telephone.

over the ~
I don''t want to talk about this over the telephone.