phrase

English

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phrase

Wikipedia

Etymology

From Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “I tell, express”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: frāz, IPA^(key): /fɹeɪz/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -eɪz
• Homophones: fraise, frays

Noun

phrase (plural phrases)

1. A short written or spoken expression.

   Hypernym: syntagma

3. (grammar) A word or, more commonly, a group of words that functions as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence, usually consisting of a head, or central word, and elaborating words.
   • 2013 November 30, Paul Davis, “Letters: Say it as simply as possible”, in The Economist‎, volume 409, number 8864:

     Congratulations on managing to use the phrase “preponderant criterion” in a chart (“On your marks”, November 9th). Was this the work of a kakorrhaphiophobic journalist set a challenge by his colleagues, or simply an example of glossolalia?

4. (music) A small section of music in a larger piece.
5. (archaic) A mode or form of speech; diction; expression.
   • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     Thou speak'st / In better phrase and matter than thou didst.

   • 1847, Alfred Tennyson, “Part II”, in The Princess: A Medley, London: Edward Moxon, , →OCLC, page 39:

     […] From out a common vein of memory / Sweet household talk, and phrases of the hearth, […]

6. (dance) A short individual motion forming part of a choreographed dance.

Synonyms

• (expression): figure of speech, locution
• See also Thesaurus:phrase

Derived terms

Translations

See also

• phrase on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Verb

phrase (third-person singular simple present phrases, present participle phrasing, simple past and past participle phrased)

1. (transitive) To express (an action, thought or idea) by means of particular words.

   I wasn't sure how to phrase my condolences without sounding patronising.

   • 1613 (date written), William Shakespeare, [John Fletcher], “The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     These suns — for so they phrase 'em.

2. (intransitive, music) To perform a passage with the correct phrasing.
3. (transitive, music) To divide into melodic phrases.

Derived terms

• phraser
• phrasing

Related terms

• paraphrase
• rephrase

Translations

Further reading

• “phrase”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “phrase”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “phrase”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Anagrams

• E sharp, E-sharp, Harpes, Sharpe, Sherpa, Spehar, e sharp, e-sharp, harpes, hepars, pasher, phares, phaser, raphes, seraph, shaper, sharpe, sherpa, shrape, sphear

French

Etymology

From Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /fʁaz/, /fʁɑz/

• audio

  (file)

• Audio (CAN)

  (file)

Noun

phrase f (plural phrases)

1. sentence

Usage notes

• This is a false friend to English phrase.

Derived terms

Further reading

• “phrase”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Anagrams

• harpes, phares

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈpʰra.se/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈfra.se/,

Noun

phrase

1. ablative singular of phrasis

Portuguese

Noun

phrase f (plural phrases)

1. Pre-reform spelling (until Brazil 1943/Portugal 1911) of frase.