Phase

[feyz] /feɪz/

noun
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. .
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°.
verb (used with object), phased, phasing.
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.
Verb phrases
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.
/feɪz/
noun
1.
any distinct or characteristic period or stage in a sequence of events or chain of development: there were two phases to the resolution, his immaturity was a passing phase
2.
(astronomy) one of the recurring shapes of the portion of the moon or an inferior planet illuminated by the sun: the new moon, first quarter, full moon, and last quarter are the four principal phases of the moon
3.
(physics)

4.
(physics) a particular stage in a periodic process or phenomenon
5.
in phase, (of two waveforms) reaching corresponding phases at the same time
6.
out of phase, (of two waveforms) not in phase
7.
(chem) a distinct state of matter characterized by homogeneous composition and properties and the possession of a clearly defined boundary
8.
(zoology) a variation in the normal form of an animal, esp a colour variation, brought about by seasonal or geographical change
9.
(biology) (usually in combination) a stage in mitosis or meiosis: prophase, metaphase
10.
(electrical engineering) one of the circuits in a system in which there are two or more alternating voltages displaced by equal amounts in phase (sense 5) See also polyphase (sense 1)
11.
(in systemic grammar) the type of correspondence that exists between the predicators in a clause that has two or more predicators; for example connection by to, as in I managed to do it, or -ing, as in we heard him singing
verb (transitive)
12.
(often passive) to execute, arrange, or introduce gradually or in stages: a phased withdrawal
13.
(sometimes foll by with) to cause (a part, process, etc) to function or coincide with (another part, process, etc): he tried to phase the intake and output of the machine, he phased the intake with the output
14.
(mainly US) to arrange (processes, goods, etc) to be supplied or executed when required
n.

1705, “phase of the moon,” back-formed as a singular from Modern Latin phases, plural of phasis, from Greek phasis “appearance” (of a star), “phase” (of the moon), from stem of phainein “to show, to make appear” (see phantasm). Latin singular phasis was used in English from 1660. Non-lunar application is first attested 1841. Meaning “temporary difficult period” (especially of adolescents) is attested from 1913.
v.

“to synchronize,” 1895, from phase (n.). Meaning “to carry out gradually” is from 1949, hence phase in “introduce gradually” (1954), phase out (1954). Related: Phased; phasing.

phase (fāz)
n.

v. phased, phas·ing, phas·es
To introduce, one stage at a time.
phase
(fāz)

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.