Thesaurus: phase

Related headwords

Definitions

1. n. That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.
2. n. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view; as, the problem has many phases.
3. n. A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form of enlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets. See Illust. under Moon.
4. n. 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.
5. n. any distinct time period in a sequence of events
6. n. (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
7. n. a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle
8. n. (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)
9. v. arrange in phases or stages
10. v. adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition
11. 1. That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object. 2. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view; as, the problem has many phases. 3. (Astron.) A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form of enlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets. See Illust. under Moon. 4. (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.
12. A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycleof changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form ofenlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets. See Illust.under Moon.