phase
[feyz]
noun, verb, phased, phas⋅ing.| 1. | any of the major appearances or aspects in which a thing of varying modes or conditions manifests itself to the eye or mind. |
| 2. | a stage in a process of change or development: Each phase of life brings its own joys. |
| 3. | a side, aspect, or point of view: This is only one phase of the question. |
| 4. | a state of synchronous operation: to put two mechanisms in phase. |
| 5. | Astronomy.
|
| 6. | Zoology. color phase. |
| 7. | Chemistry. a mechanically separate, homogeneous part of a heterogeneous system: the solid, liquid, and gaseous phases of a system. |
| 8. | Physics. a particular stage or point of advancement in a cycle; the fractional part of the period through which the time has advanced, measured from some arbitrary origin often expressed as an angle (phase angle), the entire period being taken as 360°. |
| 9. | to schedule or order so as to be available when or as needed. |
| 10. | to put in phase; synchronize: to phase one mechanism with another. |
| 11. | phase down, to reduce by gradual stages. |
| 12. | phase in, to put or come into use gradually; incorporate by degrees: to phase in new machinery. |
| 13. | phase out, to bring or come to an end gradually; ease out of service: to phase out obsolescent machinery. |
Related forms:
1. form, shape; facet, side.
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Phase
Phase\, n. 1. (Phys. Chem.) A homogenous, physically distinct portion of matter in a system not homogeneous; as, the three phases, ice, water, and aqueous vapor. A phase may be either a single chemical substance or a mixture, as of gases. 2. (Zo["o]l.) In certain birds and mammals, one of two or more color variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age. Some of the herons which appear in white and colored phases, and certain squirrels which are sometimes uniformly blackish instead of the usual coloration, furnish examples. Color phases occur also in other animals, notably in butterflies. 3. (Elec.) The relation at any instant of a periodically varying electric magnitude, as electro-motive force, a current, etc., to its initial value as expressed in factorial parts of the complete cycle. It is usually expressed in angular measure, the cycle beb four right angles, or 360[deg]. Such periodic variations are generally well represented by sine curves; and phase relations are shown by the relative positions of the crests and hollows of such curves. Magnitudes which have the same phase are said to be in phase.Phase
Phase\, v. t. [Cf. Feeze.] To disturb the composure of; to disconcert; to nonplus. [Colloq.]Phase
Phase\, n.; pl. Phases. [NL. phasis, Gr. ?, fr. ? to make to appear: cf. F. phase. See Phenomenon, Phantom, and Emphasis.]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.Cite This Source
phase
1. n. The offset of one's waking-sleeping schedule with respect to the standard 24-hour cycle; a useful concept among people who often work at night and/or according to no fixed schedule. It is not uncommon to change one's phase by as much as 6 hours per day on a regular basis. "What's your phase?" "I've been getting in about 8 P.M. lately, but I'm going to wrap around to the day schedule by Friday." A person who is roughly 12 hours out of phase is sometimes said to be in `night mode'. (The term `day mode' is also (but less frequently) used, meaning you're working 9 to 5 (or, more likely, 10 to 6).) The act of altering one's cycle is called `changing phase'; `phase shifting' has also been recently reported from Caltech.
2. `change phase the hard way': To stay awake for a very long time in order to get into a different phase.
3. `change phase the easy way': To stay asleep, etc. However, some claim that either staying awake longer or sleeping longer is easy, and that it is _shortening_ your day or night that is really hard (see wrap around). The `jet lag' that afflicts travelers who cross many time-zone boundaries may be attributed to two distinct causes: the strain of travel per se, and the strain of changing phase. Hackers who suddenly find that they must change phase drastically in a short period of time, particularly the hard way, experience something very like jet lag without traveling.
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phase
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Main Entry: phase
Pronunciation: 'fAz
Function: noun
1 : a particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes
2 : a distinguishable part in a course, development, or cycle
3 : a point or stage in the period of a periodic motion orprocess (as a light wave or a vibration) in relation to an arbitrary reference or starting point in the period
4 : a homogeneous, physically distinct, and mechanically separableportion of matter present in a nonhomogeneous physicochemical system; especially : one of the fundamental states of matter usually considered to include the solid, liquid, and gaseousforms
5 : an individual or subgroup distinguishably different in appearance or behavior from the norm of the group to which it belongs; also : the distinguishingpeculiarity
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phase (fāz)
n.
- A characteristic form, appearance, or stage of development that occurs in a cycle or that distinguishes some individuals of a group.
- A discrete homogeneous part of a material system that is mechanically separable from the rest, as is ice from water.
- Any of the forms or states, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma, in which matter can exist, depending on temperature and pressure.
- A particular stage in a periodic process or phenomenon such as a wave form or time pattern.
To introduce, one stage at a time.
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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phase (fāz) Pronunciation Key
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Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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phase
1. The offset of one's waking-sleeping schedule with respect to the standard 24-hour cycle; a useful concept among people who often work at night and/or according to no fixed schedule. It is not uncommon to change one's phase by as much as 6 hours per day on a regular basis. "What's your phase?" "I've been getting in about 8 P.M. lately, but I'm going to wrap around to the day schedule by Friday." A person who is roughly 12 hours out of phase is sometimes said to be in "night mode". (The term "day mode" is also (but less frequently) used, meaning you're working 9 to 5 (or, more likely, 10 to 6).) The act of altering one's cycle is called "changing phase"; "phase shifting" has also been recently reported from Caltech.
2. "change phase the hard way": To stay awake for a very long time in order to get into a different phase.
3. "change phase the easy way": To stay asleep, etc. However, some claim that either staying awake longer or sleeping longer is easy, and that it is *shortening* your day or night that is really hard (see wrap around). The "jet lag" that afflicts travelers who cross many time-zone boundaries may be attributed to two distinct causes: the strain of travel per se, and the strain of changing phase. Hackers who suddenly find that they must change phase drastically in a short period of time, particularly the hard way, experience something very like jet lag without travelling.
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