a lone phone

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a lone phone" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a single phone that is isolated or alone, often in a context where the absence of other phones is notable. Example: "In the empty room, there was just a lone phone sitting on the table, waiting for a call."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Episode of the year: Mojave Phone Booth – the story of a lone phone box in the desert and the man who became obsessed with first calling, and then visiting, it – before ultimately turning it into an internet sensation.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

"It's a quarter after one.... ...... JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS In preparation for a season-ticket surge, animal control experts trap the family of opossums that have nested for generations under the seats near midfield, and the Jaguars' owner, Shahid Khan, confirms that the team's lone phone line has a dial tone.

The New York Times - Sports

Out of this panorama I spotted a lone man -- no cell phone, baby or pet -- talking noisily and apparently enjoying himself.

The New York Times

The ease of parking right out front wasn't lost on them, either — Red Hook remains a world apart, like a suburb of gentrified Brooklyn — and their car proved invaluable last week, both as a means of evacuation, when the Mayor's order came, and as a lone source of energy for charging phones after the tidal surge had laid waste to the neighborhood.

The New Yorker

The ease of parking right out front wasn't lost on them, either Red Hook remains a world apart, like a suburb of gentrified Brooklyn and their car proved invaluable last week, both as a means of evacuation, when the Mayor's order came, and as a lone source of energy for charging phones after the tidal surge had laid waste to the neighborhood.

The New Yorker

A lone slacker surfed the Internet on his phone.

The New York Times - Travel

Now balanced precariously atop their tin roof, a lone solar panel provides enough electricity to charge the phone and run four bright overhead lights with switches.

The New York Times - Science

One day in Kampala, I went with Rugasira to a conference of about 50 Ugandan entrepreneurs, from a mobile-phone magnate to the owner of a lone dry-cleaning shop.

The New York Times - Magazine

The police wouldn't have bowed to the pressure of a lone person who had misplaced something as trivial as a cell phone.

The New Yorker

With their small screens and limited processing power, mobile phones are a throwback to the 1980s, when a lone programmer toiling over a computer could cook up a hit game in a few weeks.

The Economist

Returning the following day, Mr Crone claimed that NI chairman James Murdoch was shown "hard evidence" that phone hacking inside the News of the World went beyond a lone rogue reporter more than three years ago.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a lone phone" when you want to emphasize the isolation or uniqueness of a single telephone in a particular setting. It's particularly effective in creating a sense of abandonment or mystery.

Common error

Avoid using "a lone phone" in technical documentation or contexts where clarity is paramount. Terms like "single phone" or "isolated phone" might be clearer and less evocative, reducing potential ambiguity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a lone phone" functions primarily as a noun phrase, where "lone" acts as an adjective modifying "phone". This combination serves to describe a singular phone that is isolated or set apart from others, contributing to the overall description of a scene or situation. Ludwig confirms that it is a usable English phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a lone phone" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a single, isolated phone. As Ludwig highlighted, it's primarily used in neutral contexts, often in news and media, to emphasize the phone's solitude or uniqueness. While grammatically sound, the phrase is relatively rare, and alternatives like "an isolated phone" or "a single phone" might be more common depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an isolated phone

Replaces "lone" with "isolated", emphasizing the separation from other phones.

a solitary phone

Substitutes "lone" with "solitary", highlighting the phone's single, unaccompanied status.

the only phone

Emphasizes that it is the sole phone available.

a single phone

Uses "single" to denote that there is only one phone, rather than emphasizing its isolation.

one phone

Simplifies the phrase to indicate the presence of just one phone.

a disconnected phone

Suggests a phone not connected to a network, implying isolation in a different way.

an unmanned phone

Indicates that there is no person operating or supervising the phone.

an unattended phone

Highlights the absence of anyone using or monitoring the phone.

a deserted phone

Implies the phone is in a location where it has been abandoned.

a desolate phone

Uses a more evocative word, "desolate", to describe the phone's isolation.

FAQs

What does "a lone phone" mean?

The phrase "a lone phone" refers to a single phone that is isolated or standing apart from others. It emphasizes the solitude or uniqueness of that particular phone in its environment.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a lone phone"?

It's appropriate to use "a lone phone" when you want to highlight the isolation or lack of other phones nearby. This can create a sense of mystery, abandonment, or the sole point of contact.

Are there any alternatives to "a lone phone"?

Yes, you can use alternatives such as "an isolated phone", "a solitary phone", or "a single phone" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

How does "a lone phone" differ from "the only phone"?

While both phrases indicate there's only one phone, "a lone phone" emphasizes its isolation or solitude, while "the only phone" simply states that it's the sole phone available, without necessarily implying isolation.