phoning UK /ˈfəʊnɪŋ/US /ˈfoʊnɪŋ/ noun1 •(informal) The act of placing a telephone call.So after all this hurry and hustle in the house, the coffee and papers and phonings, the soundings and measurements over the whole place, I was instructed to take off my apron and sit down […] — 2002 formsphonings