ANSWERING MACHINE Definition & Meaning

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answering machine

noun

an electronic device that is attached to a telephone and that automatically answers callers with a prerecorded message and records their messages for later playback.

answering machine

noun

a device by means of which a telephone call is answered automatically and the caller enabled to leave a recorded message In fulltelephone answering machine Also calledanswerphone

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�y��vlog History and Origins

Origin of answering machine¹

First recorded in 1975–80

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Her answering machine message was recorded in the style of Snow.

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I was visiting with Coach in his modest Encino condo when the phone rang and the answering machine picked up.

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Mr. Hampton unsuccessfully sued Mr. Guare, Lincoln Center Theater and other parties for $100 million in damages for using incidents from his life in the play, and left death threats on Mr. Guare’s answering machine.

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A telephone message left on an answering machine at Yetman’s home seeking comment was not immediately returned.

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I kept the message on our answering machine for years.

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