Phrase

phrase
    n 1: an expression consisting of one or more words forming a
         grammatical constituent of a sentence
    2: a short musical passage [syn: {phrase}, {musical phrase}]
    3: an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the
       meanings of the words that make it up [syn: {idiom},
       {idiomatic expression}, {phrasal idiom}, {set phrase},
       {phrase}]
    4: dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic
       sequence
    v 1: put into words or an expression; "He formulated his
         concerns to the board of trustees" [syn: {give voice},
         {formulate}, {word}, {phrase}, {articulate}]
    2: divide, combine, or mark into phrases; "phrase a musical
       passage"
    

Phrase \Phrase\, n. [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology,
   Gr. ?, fr. ? to speak.]
   1. A brief expression, sometimes a single word, but usually
      two or more words forming an expression by themselves, or
      being a portion of a sentence; as, an adverbial phrase.
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            "Convey" the wise it call. "Steal!" foh! a fico for
            the phrase.                           --Shak.
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   2. A short, pithy expression; especially, one which is often
      employed; a peculiar or idiomatic turn of speech; as, to
      err is human.
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   3. A mode or form of speech; the manner or style in which any
      one expreses himself; diction; expression. "Phrases of the
      hearth." --Tennyson.
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            Thou speak'st
            In better phrase and matter than thou didst. --Shak.
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   4. (Mus.) A short clause or portion of a period.
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   Note: A composition consists first of sentences, or periods;
         these are subdivided into sections, and these into
         phrases.
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   {Phrase book}, a book of idiomatic phrases. --J. S. Blackie.
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Phrase \Phrase\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Phrased}; p. pr. & vb. n.
   {Phrasing}.] [Cf. F. phraser.]
   To express in words, or in peculiar words; to call; to style.
   "These suns -- for so they phrase 'em." --Shak.
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Phrase \Phrase\, v. i.
   1. To use proper or fine phrases. [R.]
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   2. (Mus.) To group notes into phrases; as, he phrases well.
      See {Phrase}, n., 4.
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236 Moby Thesaurus words for "phrase":
      Parthian shot, adage, address, adjectival phrase, affirmation,
      allegation, ana, anacrusis, analects, answer, aphorism, apostrophe,
      apothegm, article, articulate, assertion, averment, axiom,
      back matter, bass passage, book, bourdon, breathe, bridge, burden,
      byword, cadence, catchword, chapter, chestnut, chime,
      choice of words, chorus, clause, cliche, coda, collected sayings,
      collocation, colloquialism, column, come out with, comment,
      commonplace, communicate, composition, conceive, convey, couch,
      couch in terms, crack, current saying, declaration, delineate,
      deliver, describe, development, dialect, dictate, diction, dictum,
      disclose, distich, division, embody in words, emit, enunciate,
      epigram, exclamation, exposition, express, expression, fascicle,
      figure, fling off, folderol, folio, formularize, formulate,
      formulation, frame, front matter, gathering, give, give expression,
      give expression to, give out with, give tongue, give utterance,
      give voice, give words to, glosseme, gnome, golden saying, grammar,
      greeting, harmonic close, icon, idiom, impart, installment,
      interjection, interlude, intermezzo, introductory phrase, language,
      leitmotiv, let out, lexeme, lexical form, lip, livraison, locution,
      manner of speaking, maxim, measure, mention, moral, morpheme, mot,
      motif, motive, motto, movement, musical phrase, musical sentence,
      note, noun phrase, number, observation, oracle, ornament, out with,
      page, paragraph, parlance, part, passage, period, phonate,
      phraseology, phrasing, pithy saying, platitude, position,
      pour forth, precept, prescript, present, pronounce, pronouncement,
      proverb, proverbial saying, proverbs, put, put forth, put in words,
      question, raise, reflection, refrain, remark, resolution, response,
      rhetoric, rhetorize, ritornello, saw, say, saying, section,
      semasiological unit, sememe, sentence, sententious expression,
      serial, set forth, set out, sheet, sign, signature, signifiant,
      significant, slogan, sloka, sound, speech, stanza, state,
      statement, stock saying, strain, style, subject, subjoinder, sutra,
      symbol, syntax, tailpiece, talk, teaching, tell, term, text, theme,
      thought, throw off, token, tutti, tutti passage, type, usage,
      use of words, usus loquendi, utter, utterance, variation,
      verb phrase, verbalize, verbiage, verse, vocabulary, vocalize,
      voice, volume, way of speaking, whisper, wisdom, wisdom literature,
      wise saying, witticism, word, word-group, wordage, wording,
      words of wisdom, write