Dictionary

1-800 en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• wŭn'āthŭnʹdrəd
• /ˌwʌneɪtˈhʌndɹəd/

Etymology

From 1, used to dial long-distance numbers and 800, which was, for a long time, the only North American toll-free area code.

Meanings

1. (Canada, US) A toll-free number or a long-distance telephone numbers; using any of North American toll-free area codes 800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844 or 833.
   • Many people have profited from providing easy services that others do not like to do, such as a simple service like barbeque cleaning, superscoopers for cleaning up after dogs, an errand service, or a 1-800 tele-tutor service for school-age children who need assistance with their homework. 2002, Elaine Dundon, The Seeds of Innovation, page 115:
   • Once when her husband had got a 1-800 number she used to get calls from all sorts of lonely weirdos who had nothing better to do late at night than call up people they didn't know. 2001, Mark Graham, The Third Day:
   • “I got a 1-800 number. I could check your credit card right now, and get an approval code, or find out if it's stolen or not. Just dial a 1-800 number and deal with computers." 2003, Bambi Vincent, Bob Arno, Travel Advisory!: How to Avoid Thefts, Cons, and Street Scams While Traveling:
   • Exhibit 9.2 represents a 1-800 customer ordering process. 2001, David Wade, Ron Recardo, Corporate Performance Management:
   • 866-555-1234... that's a 1-800 number, isn't it?
   • We provided a 1-800 hot line and a new food stamp tool kit which I would also like to provide for the record. 1999, 106-1 Hearing http://books.google.com/books?ie=UTF-8&vid=0tCILPy0LnkcoBE8OF0Zi49&id=i0MLwjBn5D4C&q=%22a+1-800%22+-%22a+1-800+number%22&dq=%22a+1-800%22+-%22a+1-800+number%22&pgis=1
   • FEMA has got a 1-800 number. 1994, Bill Clinton, Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States, William J. Clinton:

Forms

Relateds

1-900 · 1-555 · 1-976

Synonyms

toll-free number · Freefone number · 0808 number · 0800 number · 1-800 number · 0500 number