Phase
from
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006)
phase
n 1: any distinct time period in a sequence of events; "we are
in a transitional stage in which many former ideas must be
revised or rejected" [syn: {phase}, {stage}]
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; "the reaction occurs in the liquid phase of the
system" [syn: {phase}, {form}]
3: a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some
arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle [syn: {phase},
{phase angle}]
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); "the
full phase of the moon"
v 1: arrange in phases or stages; "phase a withdrawal"
2: adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition; "he phased
the intake with the output of the machine"
from
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
Phase \Phase\ (f[=a]z), n.; pl. {Phases} (f[=a]z"[e^]z). [NL.
phasis, Gr. fa`sis, fr. fai`nein 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.
[1913 Webster]
2. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental
apprehension or view; as, the problem has many phases.
[1913 Webster]
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}.
[1913 Webster]
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.
[1913 Webster]
5. (Phys. Chem.) A homogenous, physically distinct portion of
matter in a system not homogeneous; as, the three phases,
ice, water, and aqueous vapor; in a mixture of gasoline
and water, the gasoline will settle as the upper phase. A
phase may be either a single chemical substance or a
mixture, as of gases.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
6. (Zool.) 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.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
7. (Physics) the relation at any instant of any cyclically
varying physical quantity, such as voltage in an A.C.
circuit, an electromagnetic wave, a sound wave, or a
rotating object, to its initial value as expressed as a
fractional part of the complete cycle. It is usually
expressed in angular measure, the complete cycle being
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.
Note: The concept of phase is also applied generally to any
periodically varying phenomenon, as the cycle of
daylight. One person who sleeps during the day and
another who sleeps at night may be said to be out of
phase with each other.
[PJC]
8. Specifically: (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 being four right
angles, or 360[deg].
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]
from
Jargon File (4.4.4, 14 Aug 2003)
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 8PM 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.
from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
phase
day mode
night mode
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.
from
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
71 Moby Thesaurus words for "phase":
angle, appearance, aspect, color, complexion, condition,
configuration, development, discontinue, ease off, effect, eidolon,
end, facet, fashion, feature, figure, form, gestalt, guise, hand,
image, imago, impression, include, incorporate, inject, insert,
insinuate, juncture, light, likeness, lineaments, look, manner,
moment, occasion, period, phase in, phase out, phasis,
point of view, position, posture, reference, regard, remove,
respect, seeming, semblance, shape, side, simulacrum, situation,
slant, stage, state, status, step, style, taper off, time,
total effect, twist, usher in, view, viewpoint, wind up, wise,
withdraw, work in
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