phase
See also: Phase
English
Etymology 1
From New Latin phasis, from Ancient Greek φάσις (phásis, “an appearance”), from φάω (pháō, “to shine”); compare phantasm and see face.
Pronunciation
- enPR: fāz, IPA(key): /feɪz/
audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -eɪz
- Hyphenation: phase
- Homophone: faze
Noun
phase (plural phases)
- A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.
- That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.
- Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view.
- The problem has many phases.
- (astronomy) A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form, or the absence, of its enlightened disk. Illustrated in Wikipedia's article Lunar phase.
- the phases of the moon
- (physics) 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.
- (chemistry) 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.
- (zoology) 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.
- (rugby union) The period of play between consecutive breakdowns.
- 2011 September 24, Ben Dirs, “Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania”, in BBC Sport:
- 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.
-
- (genetics) A haplotype.
- (mathematics) The arctangent of the quotient formed by dividing the imaginary part of a complex number by the real part.
- Synonym: argument
- (music) A distortion caused by a difference in the speed of propagation for different frequencies
- (electrical engineering) In a polyphase electrical power system, one of the power-carrying conductors, or the alternating current carried by it.
Derived terms
- high-phase
- phaseless
- phase space
- single-phase
- three-phase
Translations
distinguishable part of a sequence
|
that which is exhibited to the eye
|
aspect of an object or view
|
astronomy: particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle
|
physics: point or portion in a recurring series of changes
|
chemistry: component in a material system
|
zoology: colour variation
|
rugby union: period of play between breakdowns
|
haplotype — see haplotype
- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Translations to be checked
|
References
phase on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Verb
phase (third-person singular simple present phases, present participle phasing, simple past and past participle phased)
- (with in or out) To begin—if construed with "in"—or to discontinue—if construed with out—(doing) something over a period of time (i.e. in phases).
- The use of the obsolete machines was gradually phased out as the new models were phased in.
- Obsolete form of faze.[1]
- (genetics, informal, transitive) To determine haplotypes in (data) when genotypes are known.
- To pass into or through a solid object.
- 1997, P. Lunenfeld, “Hybrid Architectures and the Paradox of Unfolding”, in Intelligent Environments: Spatial Aspects of the Information Revolution, →ISBN, page 443:
- 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.
- 2004, Paul Ruditis, Star Trek: Enterprise: Shockwave, →ISBN, page 100:
- Archer took a deep breath and, steeling himself for the bizarre experience, carefully walked to the bulkhead and phased through.
- 2011, Timothy Callahan, Grant Morrison: The Early Years, →ISBN, page 93:
- 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.
-
- (science fiction) To use a phaser.
Usage notes
See notes at faze.
Hyponyms
- phase in
- phase out
Derived terms
- phaseable
- unphased
Etymology 2
From Latin phase (“passover”), Phasa, from Hebrew פָּסַח (pésach).
Alternative forms
- Phase
Proper noun
phase
- (obsolete) Passover
References
- Paul Brians (2009), “faze”, in Common Errors in English Usage, 2nd edition, Wilsonville, Or.: William, James & Company, →ISBN.
Anagrams
- HEPAs, Heaps, ephas, heaps, shape
Dutch
Noun
phase f (plural phasen or phases, diminutive phasetje n)
- Obsolete spelling of fase.
French
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /faz/
audio (file)
Noun
phase f (plural phases)
- phase
Derived terms
- espace des phases
- phase de poule
- phase éruptive
Descendants
- → Dutch: fase
- Afrikaans: fase
- → Indonesian: fase
- → West Frisian: faze
- → Georgian: ფაზა (paza)
- → Khmer: ផាស (phaah)
- → Norwegian: fase
- → Romanian: fază
- → Turkish: faz
- → Vietnamese: pha
Further reading
- “phase”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.
Latin
Alternative forms
- Phase
Etymology
From Ancient Greek φασέκ (phasék, “Passover”), from a Semitic language.
Noun
phase n (indeclinable)
- Passover
- the Passover sacrifice; Paschal Lamb
Synonyms
- pascha
Descendants
- Old English: phase
References
- “Phase”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Portuguese
Noun
phase f (plural phases)
- Obsolete spelling of fase (used in Portugal until September 1911 and in Brazil until the 1940s).