At first it seems that the answer is simpler than a turnip, and even a five-year-old child knows what a dial is. He would say that this is a circle on the clock, on which the hand moves, indicating the time. This is true, however, not only the timepieces have a dial.
Etymology
The word is borrowed and comes from the German Zifferblatt. It consists of two words - Ziffer (number, number) and Blatt (leaflet). This token came into Russian in the second half of the 19th century. Here it is already written without double consonants in the heart of the word. Also in the nominative case, the word consists of two morphemes - the root "dial" and zero ending.
What is a dial: definition
The dial is the panel of the device for counting something. This may apply to mechanical and electronic devices. If we talk about the dial of the watch, then it is designed to visually display the counted time. In other words, it helps you navigate what time it is.
This word is also used in relation to such measuring devices as a barometer, manometer, tonometer, etc.
What is a dial and what does it consist of
Any dial of a mechanical or quartz watch implies the presence of one or several hands, and electronic ones are not needed, there are only numbers. At the moment, designers have developed hundreds of models. Therefore, they can not only fulfill their functional role, but also be distinctive elements of the interior. According to the type of design, the dial is distinguished by a wall, floor, table, fireplace, pocket, wrist. This affects the size (for example, the famous chimes have a diameter of 6 m, and a watch can be less than 1 cm).
Another difference is how the numbers are displayed. They can be executed in Arabic and Roman styles or even replaced by sticks or dots.
Sometimes only the main ones are indicated (3, 6, 9, 12), which divide the hour into four quarters. To more accurately
determine the time, dials with 60 divisions (most often in the form of dots), which show seconds, are released.
Fans of minimalism will like models where there are no divisions at all, but to understand what time it is, you need to navigate by the position of the arrows and remember that there are 12 above and 6 below.
Electronic clocks are less diverse: as a rule, only 4 digits are displayed on the screen, for example, 17:45.
If we talk about the dial of the barometer, then, in addition to numbers, there can also be words ("clear", "dry", "rain"), which are accompanied by pictures. They transmit the necessary information about the state of atmospheric pressure in a simple and understandable form.
Synonyms
The word "watch" is used in a broad sense. Sometimes you can find the nouns "screen", "display", but here it all depends on the context. To summarize, the dial is mainly associated with the image of numbers. And the above words can refer to a computer monitor, and a tablet, and other devices, which show not only numerical values.
And what is a “dial” in a figurative meaning? In an ironic sense, this word is used instead of the nouns "face", "physiognomy".
Knowledge of such subtleties will help to expand the vocabulary and become more savvy in the correct use of words.