I. ˈfrāz noun
( -s )
Etymology: Latin phrasis, from Greek, from phrazein to point out, show, explain
1. : a characteristic manner of style or expression : a mode or form of speech : diction , phraseology
writes in a stilted, self-conscious phrase
a welcome occasional crack of American phrase — Sean O'Faolain
half past one — three bells in the sea phrase — R.L.Stevenson
2.
a. : a brief expression ; especially : one that is pithy, telling, or memorable : catchword
sum the matter up in a phrase
good at turning a phrase
a fine phrase
a hackneyed phrase
b. : word
denounced … as socialistic, a phrase they evidently never get tired of — A.E.Stevenson b.1900
“accommodated” … a good phrase — Shakespeare
3. also phraise “ chiefly Scotland
a. : smooth unmeaning talk : flattery
b. : fuss , commotion
an honest lad … though he made little phrase about it — Sir Walter Scott
4. : a short musical thought that is typically two to four measures long and that closes with a cadence
a cymbal crash followed immediately by a low phrase in the bassoon — Saturday Review
5. : a group of two or more words that form a sense unit expressing a thought either fragmentarily without a complete predication (as in Good for you! ) or with a weakened form of predication (as in God willing ) or as a sentence element not containing a predication but having the force of a single part of speech (as in could have been found ) and that bear to one another either the modifying relation (as in faithful dog ) or the coordinate or multiple relation (as in dogs and cats ) or the composite relation (as in might have been found ) — often used with a qualifying grammatical term indicating structure
participial phrase
infinitive phrase
prepositional phrase
verb phrase
or syntactical relation
adverbial phrase
appositive phrase
noun phrase
verbal phrase
6. : a continuous series of attacks and parries in fencing
during a single phrase , the attack may pass back and forth between the two fencers several times — Jeanette Schlottmann
7. : a frequently occurring group of words written in shorthand without lifting the pencil
the common phrases consisting of two or three words should be written with the same facility as an ordinary word form — J.R.Gregg
8. : a series of dance movements comprising a section of a pattern
learning to move in terms of phrases rather than in steps
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
transitive verb
1.
a. : to express in words : formulate in appropriate or telling terms : word , put
unable to phrase his idea
a thought … imperishably phrased — J.L.Lowes
a poor but proud family, as he phrases it
b. : to designate by a descriptive word or phrase : term , style
these suns — for so they phrase 'em — Shakespeare
2. also phraise “ Scotland : flatter
3. : to divide (a musical composition) into melodic phrases
the job before her, that of phrasing and rephrasing a fugue of Bach's — Osbert Sitwell
4. : to write (a frequently occurring group of words) in shorthand without lifting the pencil
have the student insert hyphens in the text between words which the teacher desires to have phrased — E.H.Eldridge
intransitive verb
: to group notes or tones into a musical phrase : perform music so as to show its melodic phrasing
they sang with ease and confidence … and phrased with the subtlety of master musicians — Time