Collocation
answer the phone
to pick up a ringing phone and respond to the caller
Definition
'answer the phone' is a common English collocation. to pick up a ringing phone and respond to the caller
answer + the phone
“Can you answer the phone? I’m cooking.”
Examples
- Please answer the phone while I’m in the shower.
- She answered the phone and heard her boss on the line.
- He never answers the phone when he’s driving.
Show more examples
- I was about to answer the phone when it stopped ringing.
- If you answer the phone, tell them I’ll call back later.
- The receptionist answered the phone in a calm, professional voice.
- Why didn’t you answer the phone when I called twice?
- By the time I managed to answer the phone, the caller had already hung up.
- I can’t answer the phone right now because I’m in a meeting.
More verb + noun phrases
- make an effort to try hard to do something, especially when it requires extra energy or commitment
- make a choice to decide between options
- make a phone call to call someone using a telephone
- make an appointment to arrange a specific time to meet someone, especially a professional such as a doctor or dentist
- make a complaint to formally say that you are unhappy with a service, product, or situation and want it dealt with