phase — English Dictionary

phase
Word-form referencesfaze
Pronunciations (2)
  • /feɪz/
  • feɪz

Noun

  1. A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    It would have been a simple enough move to warn the firm, but Max Carrados's interest lay in the phase of crime rather than in forestalling it, and on that score he had little tangible as yet […]

  2. That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.

  3. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view.

    Examples

    The problem has many phases.

  4. A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form, or the absence, of a body's illuminated disk. Illustrated in Wikipedia's article Lunar phase.

    Examples

    the phases of the moon

  5. Any one point or portion in a recurring series of changes, as in the changes of motion of one of the particles constituting a wave or vibration; one portion of a series of such changes, in distinction from a contrasted portion, as the portion on one side of a position of equilibrium, in contrast with that on the opposite side.

  6. A component in a material system that is distinguished by chemical composition and/or physical state (solid, liquid or gas) and/or crystal structure. It is delineated from an adjoining phase by an abrupt change in one or more of those conditions.

  7. In certain organisms, one of two or more colour variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age.

  8. The period of play between consecutive breakdowns.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    When Romania did manage to string together some phases midway through the first half, England's discipline held firm, although on the whole it was a less focused display from the Six Nations champions in the second half.

  9. A haplotype.

  10. The counterclockwise angle from the positive half of the real number line to the vector pointing to a complex number on an Argand diagram of the complex plane, which has the positive real line pointing right and the positive imaginary number line pointing up.

    Synonyms
  11. A distortion caused by a difference in the speed of propagation for different frequencies

  12. In a polyphase electrical power system, one of the power-carrying conductors, or the alternating current carried by it.

Verb

  1. To begin—if construed with "in"—or to discontinue—if construed with out—(doing) something over a period of time (i.e. in phases).

    Usage
    • with in or out
    Examples

    The use of the obsolete machines was gradually phased out as the new models were phased in.

  2. To determine haplotypes in (data) when genotypes are known.

    Usage
    • Informal
    • Transitive
  3. To pass into or through a solid object.

    Examples
    More examples (1)

    Anyone who has lost their way in cyberspace—realizing they have just phased into what they had previously categorized as 'solid' matter—will understand this example.

    Archer took a deep breath and, steeling himself for the bizarre experience, carefully walked to the bulkhead and phased through.

    More examples (1)

    Intangible or invisible objects in comic books are often drawn with a dotted line. When Kitty Pryde of the X-Men phases through objects, she's drawn that way, and Wonder Woman's invisible plan[sic] used to be drawn that way as well.

  4. To use a phaser.

Proper noun

  1. Passover

    Usage
    • Obsolete

Noun

  1. any distinct time period in a sequence of events

    Synonyms
    Examples

    we are in a transitional stage in which many former ideas must be revised or rejected

  2. (physical chemistry) a distinct state of matter in a system; matter that is identical in chemical composition and physical state and separated from other material by the phase boundary

    Synonyms
    Examples

    the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the system

  3. a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle

    Synonyms
    Broader terms
  4. (astronomy) the particular appearance of a body's state of illumination (especially one of the recurring shapes of the part of Earth's moon that is illuminated by the sun)

    Examples

    the full phase of the moon

Verb

  1. arrange in phases or stages

    Broader terms
    Examples

    phase a withdrawal

  2. adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition

    Examples

    he phased the intake with the output of the machine

Word forms
phasesphasesphasingphasedphasedPhase

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