reset the dial
Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.
Meaning · English
To start something over from the beginning
Literally: adjust the dial of a device to its initial setting
Where it’s used:
Used
Widespread English
Examples
The team had to reset the dial after the project's poor start
AI-drafted example auto-approved by rule (illustrative, not a corpus attestation)
Sources & notes
Listed in Wiktionary’s “English idioms” category (retrieved 2026-07-29); definition pending editorial review. Definition drafted by AI (@cf/meta/llama-3.3-70b-instruct-fp8-fast) and auto-approved by rule on 2026-07-31; pending editor spot-check.
Common questions
What does “reset the dial” mean?
To start something over from the beginning Literally: adjust the dial of a device to its initial setting
Is “reset the dial” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.