Definition

1. Noun:
   • The face of a clock showing hours and minutes of the day: A "clock dial" is the flat, usually circular, front part of a clock or watch that has numbers, marks, or symbols to indicate the hours and minutes. It is the surface upon which the clock's hands move.

Usage

• The term "clock dial" is used to refer specifically to the marked, visible part of a timepiece that displays the time. It is a more technical or descriptive term than simply "clock face."

Examples

• Noun:
  • The antique clock had a beautifully painted porcelain clock dial.
  • He carefully cleaned the glass covering the clock dial.
  • The numbers on the clock dial were illuminated for nighttime viewing.

Advanced Usage

• "To read the clock dial": To tell the time by looking at the positions of the hands on the dial.
  • Children learn to read the clock dial before they can read digital displays.

Variants and Related Words

• Dial (noun): A more general term for a marked face on any measuring instrument (e.g., a pressure dial, a radio dial). In the context of time, "dial" is often used interchangeably with "clock dial" or "watch dial."
• Clock face (noun): A common synonym for "clock dial."
• Face (noun, in this context): A shortened, informal term for the front display of a clock or watch (e.g., the clock's face).

Synonyms

• Clock face: The most direct and common synonym.
• Watch face: Specifically for a wristwatch or pocket watch.
• Dial: A general term that can refer to a clock or watch face.

Related Phrases

• "Around the dial": Referring to a full 12-hour cycle on a clock.
  • The minute hand travels around the dial once every hour.

Noun

1. the face of a clock showing hours and minutes of the day