1. A sound heard on a phone system when you pick up the phone and it's ready to make a call. In US telephones this consists of a 350 Hertz and a 440 Hertz sine wave (two pure tones) mixed together.

2. That ominous sound in definition 1 that indicates your girl/boy friend has hung up on you.

1."To make a call, lift the phone off the hook and place it so that the cord is facing downward near your mouth with the two sets of holes facing your head. Then listen for a dial tone. When you get a dial tone, dial the number." (instructions just in case you're Amish or haven't been in a house since 1927)

2. I got into an argument with my S.O. and got a dial tone.

dial tone by Braveheart's thirst for blood August 3, 2007

dial tone

To hit or smack another with unmerciful velocity. Often used in the context of a sports game, it indicates a severe body blow. See ring the bell.

Damn, when Frank flipped off the other driver, the guy jumped out of his car and dial toned him right then and there.

dial tone by Frank Klaune March 29, 2005

Dial tone

Crazy, fantastic, as in "off the hook".

Get over here bro, this party is straight dial tone.

Dial tone by jimmdogg August 17, 2010

Minnesota Dial-Tone

A sex act wherein you scream into your partner's ear during coitus, causing a loud ringing or tinnitus-like sound to fill your partner's ears - the eponymous "Dial-Tone". First originated in the suburbs of St. Paul, Minnesota.

My Tinder date gave me a Minnesota Dial-Tone last night, and my ears have been ringing all day.

Minnesota Dial-Tone by Nickf2019 June 26, 2019

dial toned

to hang up on someone, to cut them off

Bill: "Hey wassup?"
Tony: "Wat u sayin?"
Bill: "Nothin, just chyllen, hangin around"
Tony: "Wanna meet my friend DialTone?"
Bill: "whose dial tone?"
Tony: (hangs up)

dial toned by Nick April 25, 2005

Galantir

A group of people, typically women, searching through someone’s digital footprint in order to find more information about that person.

Susie wasn’t sure if her new Hinge match was a creep, so she assembled Galantir and they found out he used to post slurs on gaming forums.

Galantir by Ge-sus September 22, 2026

Word of the Day on September 23, 2026

murderhobo

In a tabletop game, a murderhobo is a player who murders NPCs indiscriminately. This is normally derogatory, referring to a player who totally ignores quests, dialog, backstory, trade, world building etc.

The term is most common with Dungeons and Dragons, but it can be applied to most RPGs where the player is allowed to kill most quest-giving NPCs and NPC traders. E.g. Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Divinity original sin.

DM: The sad little orphan girl tugs at Steve's trenchcoat to get his attention, and ask for help saving her pet dog from...
Steve: I'd like to roll a strength check against strangling the orphan.
Dave: I call dibs on the dog.
DM: You murderhobos disgust me.

murderhobo by Loup&S September 9, 2021

Word of the Day on September 22, 2026