pick up the phone
The phrase "pick up the phone" can refer to both answering and initiating phone calls, with slight variations in its usage across different English-speaking regions.
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Definition
A2Everyday Communication
(informal)To answer an incoming telephone call by lifting the receiver or pressing a button.
Example
- When the phone rang, she quickly picked up the phone.
A2Everyday Communication
(informal)To initiate a telephone call by lifting the receiver or pressing a button.
Example
- He picked up the phone to call his friend.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "pick up the phone":
phone upcall uppick upon the phonehold the phonering upcall someone's numberphone incall onon the telephonecall inphone homepick up ontelephone callcall backgive someone a ringhang upvoice callcall tocall buttonwill callcalling name