desk phone
Definition
- Noun:
- A telephone set designed to be placed and used on a desk or table: A desk phone is a stationary communication device, typically with a handset (receiver and transmitter) connected by a cord to a base unit that houses the dial or keypad. It is distinguished from mobile or wall-mounted telephones by its intended location of use.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The manager's office was equipped with a traditional desk phone.
- Please use the desk phone to call the reception; the mobile network is weak here.
- The vintage brass desk phone was more of a decoration than a functional device.
Advanced Usage
- "landline desk phone": Specifies a desk phone connected via traditional copper telephone lines, as opposed to a Voice over IP (VoIP) model.
- For reliability during power outages, they kept a basic landline desk phone.
Variants and Related Words
- Telephone (n): The general term for the device used to transmit sound over distances.
- Handset (n): The part of a telephone, including a desk phone, containing the receiver and transmitter, held in the hand.
- Corded phone (n): A telephone, often a desk phone, where the handset is physically connected to the base by a cord.
- Desk set (n): Can sometimes refer to a coordinated set of office items, including a telephone, designed for a desk.
Synonyms
- Office phone: A telephone, often a desk phone, used in a workplace setting.
- Landline phone: A telephone that uses a solid medium (like metal wire or optical fiber) for transmission, which a desk phone often is.
Related Phrases
- To be on the desk phone: To be engaged in a call using a desk telephone.
- She was on the desk phone with a client for over an hour.
Related Idioms
Noun
-
a telephone set that sits on a desk or table
