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phase |
6 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Phase \Phase\, v. t. [Cf. {Feeze}.] To disturb the composure of to disconcert; to nonplus. [Colloq.] From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Phase \Phase\, n. 1. (Phys. Chem.) A homogenous, physically distinct portion of matter in a system not homogeneous; as the three phases, ice, water, and aqueous vapor. A phase may be either a single chemical substance or a mixture, as of gases. 2. (Zo["o]l.) 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. 3. (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 beb four right angles, or 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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Phase \Phase\, n.; pl {Phases}. [NL. phasis, Gr ?, fr ? 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. 2. Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view; as the problem has many phases. 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}. 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 From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: 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: {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" 3: a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle [syn: {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 Jargon File (4.2.3, 23 NOV 2000) [jargon]: 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 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 traveling. From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (13 Mar 01) [foldoc]: phase 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.
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