to dial 999
1
2.3
- phrasal verb
- UK
:
marcar 999
- NB: Stroke is unlikely but not excluded if total score is <0. If stroke is likely, dial 999.
Examples
-
If you see someone collapse, you should dial 999 immediately to get help.
-
She dials 999 and waits for a reply.
Fiction book (1994) -
This means that there is support available for any attempt at resuscitation and to dial 999 if and when required.
Academic text (2012) -
The man, believed to be a Muslim convert, dialed 999, and paramedics pronounced the girl dead at the scene.
Blog text (20) -
Dial 999.
-
Dial 999; ambulances should respond rapidly to cases of suspected stroke and transfer the patient to specialist care promptly.
Academic text (2012) -
A suspected stroke should be treated in the same way as a suspected heart attack—by dialing 999 and taking emergency action to preserve life and reduce morbidity while waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
Academic text (2012) -
In an emergency, it's crucial to dial 999 for assistance from paramedics.
-
When the fire began, we didn't hesitate to dial 999 and report it.
Synonyms
178
1.6
Phone 911 in the United States and Canada to get immediate help from police, fire, or ambulance
28
2.0
To call emergency help in the United States by phone using the number 911
1
2.5
Phone the emergency number 999 in the United Kingdom
Surface Forms
Morphology
dial + 999
A learner who knows 'dial' (to call by entering numbers) and '999' (a number) can transparently infer the literal action 'call the number 999'. However, understanding that 999 specifically connects to emergency services in the UK is culturally specific world knowledge not derivable from the constituents alone, so the full pragmatic meaning is not fully predictable.
Etymology
Dial 999 comes from the UK emergency number 999 and the verb dial; picture someone quickly pressing the same number three times on a phone to get help. So, 'dial 999' means 'call the emergency services' immediately.