Definition

Noun: 1. A public telephone booth: A small, enclosed structure containing a payphone for public use. 2. A roadside emergency telephone: A telephone, often in a distinctive housing (like a box or tall post), placed along highways or in remote areas for summoning emergency assistance.

Usage

• The primary meaning refers to a physical structure housing a telephone for public or emergency use.
• It is a compound noun; the two words together create a specific meaning distinct from the individual words "call" and "box."

Examples

• Public telephone booth:
  • Before mobile phones, if you needed to make a call away from home, you would find a call box on the street.
  • The old red call box is now a iconic symbol of Britain.
• Roadside emergency telephone:
  • If your car breaks down on the motorway, you should use the nearest emergency call box to contact the authorities.
  • The hiker used the mountain rescue call box to alert rangers of his location.

Advanced Usage

• The term is becoming less common in everyday speech due to the prevalence of mobile phones, but it remains in official use for emergency systems and historical contexts.
• In British English, the iconic red public telephone booth is often simply called a "phone box."

Variants and Related Words

• Phone booth (n): A more common modern synonym for a public telephone enclosure.
• Telephone box (n): Another term for a public call box, especially in British English.
• Emergency telephone (n): A more descriptive term for a roadside call box used for emergencies.

Synonyms

• Public telephone
• Payphone booth
• Emergency telephone

Antonyms

• Private phone
• Mobile phone
• Personal line

Related Phrases / Idioms

• (To be) on the call box: An informal phrase (now dated) meaning to be using a public telephone.
  • I'll be on the call box for a few minutes, wait for me here.

Noun

1. a numbered compartment in a post office where mail is put to be called for
2. booth for using a telephone