switchboard

3 definitions • 4 examples

a piece of equipment, used especially in the past, for directing all the phone calls made to and from a particular building or area:

Tearful fans jammed the radio station's switchboard after the singer's death (= so many people called that all the phones were busy).

Ask the switchboard operator for the extension number you require.

a piece of equipment that is used to direct all the telephone calls esp. in an office or hotel

a piece of equipment used to direct telephone calls to the right department or person in an organization:

jam/man/ring the switchboard Viewers jammed the switchboard with complaints.

She worked as a switchboard operator at a hotel.