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phase

A phase is a particular period of time, like someone whose "teenage rebellion" phase lasts well into her thirties.

The word phase can mean a stage in a person’s development or a step in a process, such as “the next phase in the Interstate 57 project.” Phase can also be a verb, usually followed by in or out, to mean slowly introducing or getting rid of something. For example, your school might phase in a new rule or phase out an old one, as new students arrive.

PRIMARY MEANINGS OF: phase

1	n v	any distinct time period in a sequence of events arrange in phases or stages
2	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

FULL DEFINITIONS OF: phase

n any distinct time period in a sequence of events

Synonyms:: stage

Types:: show 28 types...; hide 28 types...; diakinesis
the final stage of the prophase of meiosis; diplotene
the fourth stage of the prophase of meiosis; leptotene
the first stage of the prophase of meiosis; pachytene
the third stage of the prophase of meiosis; phase of cell division
a stage in meiosis or mitosis; zygotene
the second stage of the prophase of meiosis; anal phase, anal stage
(psychoanalysis) the second sexual and social stage of a child's development during which bowel control is learned; genital phase, genital stage
(psychoanalysis) the fifth sexual and social stage in a person's development occurring during adolescence; interest focuses on sexual activity; latency period, latency phase, latency stage
(psychoanalysis) the fourth period (from about age 5 or 6 until puberty) during which sexual interests are supposed to be sublimated into other activities; oral phase, oral stage
(psychoanalysis) the first sexual and social stage of an infant's development; the mouth is the focus of the libido and satisfaction comes from suckling and chewing and biting; phallic phase, phallic stage
(psychoanalysis) the third stage in a child's development when awareness of and manipulation of the genitals is supposed to be a primary source of pleasure; chapter
any distinct period in history or in a person's life; incubation
(pathology) the phase in the development of an infection between the time a pathogen enters the body and the time the first symptoms appear; fertile period, fertile phase
the time in the menstrual cycle when fertilization is most likely to be possible (7 days before to 7 days after ovulation); menstrual phase
the phase of the menstrual cycle during which the lining of the uterus is shed (the first day of menstrual flow is considered day 1 of the menstrual cycle); musth
an annual phase of heightened sexual excitement in the males of certain large mammals (especially elephants); is associated with discharge from a gland between the eye and ear; luteal phase, secretory phase
the second half of the menstrual cycle after ovulation; the corpus luteum secretes progesterone which prepares the endometrium for the implantation of an embryo; if fertilization does not occur then menstrual flow begins; generation
a stage of technological development or innovation; apogee, culmination
a final climactic stage; seedtime
any time of new development; safe period
that time during a woman's menstrual cycle during which conception is least likely to occur (usually immediately before of after menstruation); anaphase
the stage of meiosis or mitosis when chromosomes move toward opposite ends of the nuclear spindle; metaphase
the second stage of mitosis; metaphase
the second stage of meiosis; prophase
the first stage of mitosis; prophase
the first stage of meiosis; telophase
the final stage of mitosis; telophase
the final stage of meiosis when the chromosomes move toward opposite ends of the nuclear spindle

Type of:: period, period of time, time period
an amount of time

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

Synonyms:: phase angle

Type of:: point, point in time
an instant of time

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)

“the full phase of the moon”

Types:: show 4 types...; hide 4 types...; phase of the moon
a time when the Moon presents a particular recurring appearance; new moon, new phase of the moon
the time at which the Moon appears as a narrow waxing crescent; half-moon
the time at which the Moon is at first or last quarter when half its face is illuminated; full, full moon, full phase of the moon, full-of-the-moon
the time when the Moon is fully illuminated

Type of:: appearance, visual aspect
outward or visible aspect of a person or thing

v arrange in phases or stages

“phase a withdrawal”

Type of:: arrange, stage
plan, organize, and carry out (an event)

v adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition

“he phased the intake with the output of the machine”

Type of:: sync, synchronise, synchronize
make synchronous and adjust in time or manner

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

“the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the system”

Synonyms:: form

Types:: dispersed particles, dispersed phase
(of colloids) a substance in the colloidal state; dispersing medium, dispersing phase, dispersion medium
(of colloids) a substance in which another is colloidally dispersed

Type of:: state, state of matter
(chemistry) the three traditional states of matter are solids (fixed shape and volume) and liquids (fixed volume and shaped by the container) and gases (filling the container)

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