sun-dial

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A timekeeping device: A "sun-dial" is an instrument that indicates the time of day by the position of a shadow cast by a gnomon (a projecting piece) onto a marked surface, typically a flat plate or disc, as the sun moves across the sky.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The old garden featured a stone sun-dial that showed the time on clear days. (A device using sunlight to tell time.)
  • Before mechanical clocks, people relied on a sun-dial to schedule their daily activities. (A historical timekeeping tool.)

Advanced Usage

• "to read a sun-dial": to interpret the position of the shadow to determine the hour.

  • He learned to read a sun-dial accurately by aligning the shadow with the engraved hour lines. (To understand how the device works.)

• "a sun-dial as a decorative piece": a sun-dial used primarily for ornamental purposes rather than practical timekeeping.

  • The modern courtyard had a brass sun-dial mounted on a pedestal, but it was more for aesthetic appeal than accurate time. (A decorative object.)

Variants and Related Words

• Sundial (n): the standard spelling variant of "sun-dial," referring to the same device.

  • The museum displayed an ancient Roman sundial made of marble. (A timekeeping instrument.)

• Dial (n): a face or plate on which a measurement (such as time) is indicated, often used in clocks or watches, but also part of a sun-dial.

  • The dial of the sun-dial was engraved with Roman numerals. (The marked surface of the device.)

Synonyms

• Shadow clock: an alternative term for a sun-dial, emphasizing its use of shadows.
  • The primitive shadow clock was a precursor to the more refined sun-dial. (A basic timekeeping device.)

Related Idioms

• "as accurate as a sun-dial": an expression meaning something is reliable only under ideal conditions (since a sun-dial requires sunlight).
  • His schedule is as accurate as a sun-dial — it works perfectly on sunny days but fails in the rain. (Conditionally reliable.)