Phrase "horn" for telephone

Posted by Bob on January 21, 2004

In Reply to: Phrase posted by steve on January 21, 2004

: does anybody out there know where this phrase comes from. when talking to someone on the telephone, one can say "while I have you on the horn", where did horn come from.
: thank you

Horn is slang for telephone for the same reason "horn" is applied to loudspeakers, ear trumpets, powder horns, etc. All of them resemble animal horns, e.g., ram's horns.

• "Horn" R. Berg 21/January/04
  • "Horn" Bruce Kahl 21/January/04