Placed dial back (4)
I believe the answer is:
laid
'placed' is the definition.
(laying is a kind of placing)
'dial back' is the wordplay.
'back' is a reversal indicator.
'dial' backwards is 'LAID'.
(Other definitions for laid that I've seen before include "tables may be?" , "spread on a surface" , "Wagered" , "Doze" , "Produced (an egg)" .)