the face of a clock or watch, or a similar control on a machine, piece of equipment or vehicle that shows a measurement of time, amount, speed, temperature, etc. 表盘；刻度盘；标度盘；仪表盘 an alarm clock with a luminous dial 夜光闹钟 Check the tyre pressure on the dial. 检查一下仪表盘显示的车胎压力。 Set the dial for the number of copies required. 在控制板上设定需要的复印数目。 You can tune into our station at 1460 on the radio dial. 用调节盘把收音机的频率调到1460，就可以收听到我们的电台。
the round control on a radio, cooker, etc. that you turn in order to change something, for example to choose a particular station or to choose a particular temperature （收音机、炉、灶等的）调节盘，控制盘 Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverb + dial- adjust
- set
- spin
- …
the round part on some older phones, with holes for the fingers, that you move around to call a particular number （旧式电话机的）拨号盘 see also speed dial
Word OriginMiddle English (denoting a mariner's compass): from medieval Latin diale ‘clock dial’, based on Latin dies ‘day’.