phrase

Grammatical phrases are groups of two or more words that work together to perform a single grammatical function in a sentence. Unlike clauses, phrases do not contain both a subject and a predicate (although they sometimes function as one or the other).Continue reading...

phrase

F0292900 (frāz)n.1. A sequence of words that have meaning, especially when forming part of a sentence.2. a. A characteristic way or mode of expression: an apt turn of phrase.b. A brief, apt, and cogent expression: the phrase "out of the frying pan and into the fire."3. Music A short passage or segment, often consisting of four measures or forming part of a larger unit.4. A series of dance movements forming a unit in a choreographic pattern.v. phrased, phras·ing, phras·es v.tr.1. To express orally or in writing: The speaker phrased several opinions.2. Music a. To divide (a passage) into phrases.b. To combine (notes) in a phrase.v.intr.1. To make or express phrases.2. Music To perform a passage with the correct phrasing.

[Latin phrasis, diction, from Greek, speech, diction, phrase, from phrazein, to point out, show; see g^whren- in Indo-European roots.]

phras′al adj.phras′al·ly adv.

phrase

(freɪz) n1. (Grammar) a group of words forming an immediate syntactic constituent of a clause. Compare clause¹, noun phrase, verb phrase2. a particular expression, esp an original one3. (Classical Music) music a small group of notes forming a coherent unit of melody4. (Dancing) (in choreography) a short sequence of dance movementsvb (tr) 5. (Classical Music) music to divide (a melodic line, part, etc) into musical phrases, esp in performance6. to express orally or in a phrase[C16: from Latin phrasis, from Greek: speech, from phrazein to declare, tell]

phrase

(freɪz)

n., v. phrased, phras•ing. n. 1. a sequence of two or more words arranged in a grammatical unit and lacking a finite verb or such elements of clause structure as subject and verb, as a preposition and a noun or pronoun, an adjective and noun, or an adverb and verb, esp. such a construction acting as a unit in a sentence. 2. a characteristic, current, or proverbial expression. 3. a way of speaking, mode of expression, or phraseology. 4. a brief utterance or remark. 5. a division of a musical composition, commonly a passage of four or eight measures, forming part of a period. 6. a sequence of dance motions making up part of a choreographic pattern. v.t. 7. to express or word in a particular way. 8. to express in words. 9. a. to mark off or bring out the phrases of (a piece of music), esp. in execution. b. to group (notes) into a phrase. v.i. 10. to perform a musical passage or piece with proper phrasing. [1520–30; (n.) back formation from phrases, pl. of earlier phrasis < Latin: diction, style < Greek phrásis, derivative of phrázein to show]

phrase

Past participle: phrased
Gerund: phrasing

Imperative
phrase
phrase

Present
I phrase
you phrase
he/she/it phrases
we phrase
you phrase
they phrase

Preterite
I phrased
you phrased
he/she/it phrased
we phrased
you phrased
they phrased

Present Continuous
I am phrasing
you are phrasing
he/she/it is phrasing
we are phrasing
you are phrasing
they are phrasing

Present Perfect
I have phrased
you have phrased
he/she/it has phrased
we have phrased
you have phrased
they have phrased

Past Continuous
I was phrasing
you were phrasing
he/she/it was phrasing
we were phrasing
you were phrasing
they were phrasing

Past Perfect
I had phrased
you had phrased
he/she/it had phrased
we had phrased
you had phrased
they had phrased

Future
I will phrase
you will phrase
he/she/it will phrase
we will phrase
you will phrase
they will phrase

Future Perfect
I will have phrased
you will have phrased
he/she/it will have phrased
we will have phrased
you will have phrased
they will have phrased

Future Continuous
I will be phrasing
you will be phrasing
he/she/it will be phrasing
we will be phrasing
you will be phrasing
they will be phrasing

Present Perfect Continuous
I have been phrasing
you have been phrasing
he/she/it has been phrasing
we have been phrasing
you have been phrasing
they have been phrasing

Future Perfect Continuous
I will have been phrasing
you will have been phrasing
he/she/it will have been phrasing
we will have been phrasing
you will have been phrasing
they will have been phrasing

Past Perfect Continuous
I had been phrasing
you had been phrasing
he/she/it had been phrasing
we had been phrasing
you had been phrasing
they had been phrasing

Conditional
I would phrase
you would phrase
he/she/it would phrase
we would phrase
you would phrase
they would phrase

Past Conditional
I would have phrased
you would have phrased
he/she/it would have phrased
we would have phrased
you would have phrased
they would have phrased

phrase

A group of words forming a unit that is not a complete sentence.

Thesaurus

Noun	1.	phrase - an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentencehead word, headword - a content word that can be qualified by a modifiergrammatical construction, construction, expression - a group of words that form a constituent of a sentence and are considered as a single unit; "I concluded from his awkward constructions that he was a foreigner"nominal, nominal phrase, noun phrase - a phrase that can function as the subject or object of a verbverb phrase, predicate - one of the two main constituents of a sentence; the predicate contains the verb and its complementsprepositional phrase - a phrase beginning with a prepositionpronominal, pronominal phrase - a phrase that functions as a pronounmodifier, qualifier - a content word that qualifies the meaning of a noun or verbresponse - a phrase recited or sung by the congregation following a versicle by the priest or ministercatch phrase, catchphrase - a phrase that has become a catchword
	2.	phrase - a short musical passagemusical phrasemelodic line, melodic phrase, melody, tune, strain, air, line - a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she was humming an air from Beethoven"musical passage, passage - a short section of a musical compositionligature - (music) a group of notes connected by a slurostinato - a musical phrase repeated over and over during a composition
	3.	phrase - an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it upidiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, set phrase, idiomlocution, saying, expression - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression"ruralism, rusticism - a rural idiom or expressionin the lurch - in a difficult or vulnerable position; "he resigned and left me in the lurch"like clockwork - with regularity and precision; "the rocket launch went off like clockwork"
	4.	phrase - dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic sequencedancing, terpsichore, dance, saltation - taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music
Verb	1.	phrase - put into words or an expression; "He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees"give voice, word, articulate, formulateask - direct or put; seek an answer to; "ask a question"evince, express, show - give expression to; "She showed her disappointment"lexicalise, lexicalize - make or coin into a word or accept a new word into the lexicon of a language; "The concept expressed by German `Gemuetlichkeit' is not lexicalized in English"dogmatise, dogmatize - state as a dogmaformularise, formularize - express as a formulacouch, redact, put, frame, cast - formulate in a particular style or language; "I wouldn't put it that way"; "She cast her request in very polite language"
	2.	phrase - divide, combine, or mark into phrases; "phrase a musical passage"arrange, order, put, set up - arrange thoughts, ideas, temporal events; "arrange my schedule"; "set up one's life"; "I put these memories with those of bygone times"

phrase

noun1. expression, saying, remark, motto, construction, tag, quotation, maxim, idiom, utterance, adage, dictum, way of speaking, group of words, locution the Latin phrase, `mens sana in corpore sano'verb1. express, say, word, put, term, present, voice, frame, communicate, convey, utter, couch, formulate, put into words The speech was carefully phrased.

phrase

noun1. A word or group of words forming a unit and conveying meaning:expression, locution.2. Choice of words and the way in which they are used:diction, parlance, phraseology, phrasing, verbalism, wordage, wording.verbTo convey in language or words of a particular form:couch, express, formulate, put, word.

Translations

短语词组惯用语措词用话表示

phrase

(freiz) noun1. a small group of words (usually without a finite verb) which forms part of an actual or implied sentence. He arrived after dinner. 短语，惯用语，词组 2. a small group of musical notes which follow each other to make a definite individual section of a melody. the opening phrase of the overture.短句 verb to express (something) in words. I phrased my explanations in simple language. 用话表示，措词 phraseology (freiziˈolədʒi) noun the manner of putting words and phrases together to express oneself. His phraseology shows that he is a foreigner.措词ˈphrasing noun1. phraseology. 措词2. the act of putting musical phrases together either in composing or playing. 短句的组成ˈphrase-book noun a book (eg for tourists) which contains and translates useful words and phrases in a foreign language. 短语集phrasal verb a phrase consisting of a verb and adverb or preposition, which together function as a verb. `Leave out', `go without', `go away', are phrasal verbs.动词词组

phrase

→ 短语zhCN

phrase

turn a phrase

To express something in very adept, elegant, and clever terms. Mr. Broadmoor is so cultivated and witty. Not only is he remarkably intelligent, but he is always able to turn a phrase most poignantly.See also: phrase, turn

stock phrase

A well-known, overused phrase; a cliché. As this is a creative writing class, I don't want to see any stock phrases in your stories. Please rewrite this paragraph in your own words, instead of using stock phrases like "think outside the box."See also: phrase, stock

turn of phrase

1. An expression. I understood what she was saying until she used a turn of phrase that I had never heard.2. An eloquent style of writing or speaking. That writer's turn of phrase has earned him many accolades and awards.See also: of, phrase, turn

coin a phrase

To create a new expression. Don't try to coin a phrase, just write a straightforward headline.See also: coin, phrase

to coin a phrase

A set phrase said after one uses a new expression. It is typically used jocularly to indicate the opposite (i.e. that one has just used a well-known or trite saying). Well, we can't do anything about it now, so que sera sera, to coin a phrase.See also: coin, phrase

might as well

Should (do something), typically because there is no reason not to. The deadline is today, but you might as well send it in anyway—they may still accept it. A: "Are you going to work late tonight?" B: "I might as well. I have nothing else going on."See also: might, well

coin a phrase

Fig. to create a new expression that is worthy of being remembered and repeated. (Often jocular.) He is "worth his weight in feathers," to coin a phrase.See also: coin, phrase

let me (just) say

and just let me saya phrase introducing something that the speaker thinks is important. Rachel: Let me say how pleased we all are with your efforts. Henry: Why, thank you very much. Bob: Just let me say that we're extremely pleased with your activity. Bill: Thanks loads. I did what I could.See also: let, say

might as well

and may as wella phrase indicating that it is probably better to do something than not to do it. Bill: Should we try to get there for the first showing of the film? Jane: Might as well. Nothing else to do. Andy: May as well leave now. It doesn't matter if we arrive a little bit early. Jane: Why do we always have to be the first to arrive?See also: might, well

to put it another way

and put another waya phrase introducing a restatement of what someone, usually the speaker, has just said. Father: You're still very young, Tom. To put it another way, you don't have any idea about what you're getting into. John: Could you go back to your own room now, Tom? I have to study. Put another way, get out of here! Tom: Okay, okay. Don't get your bowels in an uproar!See also: another, put, way

turn of phrase

A particular arrangement of words, as in I'd never heard that turn of phrase before, or An idiom can be described as a turn of phrase. This idiom alludes to the turning or shaping of objects (as on a lathe), a usage dating from the late 1600s. See also: of, phrase, turn

to coin a phrase

You say to coin a phrase to show that you are using an expression that people will know. Stunned Jackson was, to coin a phrase, `sick as a parrot'. Note: To coin a new word means to invent it or use it for the first time. In this expression, the term is being used ironically. See also: coin, phrase

to coin a phrase

1 said ironically when introducing a banal remark or cliché. 2 said when introducing a new expression or a variation on a familiar one.See also: coin, phrase

to coin a ˈphrase

used for introducing an expression that you have invented or to apologize for using a well-known idiom or phrase instead of an original one: Oh well, no news is good news, to coin a phrase.See also: coin, phrase

a ˌturn of ˈphrase

a particular way of saying something or describing something: She has a very amusing turn of phrase.See also: of, phrase, turn

coin a phrase, to

To fashion an expression. This term, dating from the 1940s, is often used ironically to apologize for using a cliché, as in “He acts like the cock of the walk, to coin a phrase.” Of course it can also be used straightforwardly and refer to inventing an expression, a usage dating from the late 1500s.See also: coin

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turn a phrase

stock phrase

turn of phrase

coin a phrase

to coin a phrase

might as well

coin a phrase

let me (just) say

might as well

to put it another way

turn of phrase

to coin a phrase

to coin a phrase

to coin a ˈphrase

a ˌturn of ˈphrase

coin a phrase, to

phrase

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Phrase

phrase

Synonyms for phrase

noun expression

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verb express

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Synonyms for phrase

noun a word or group of words forming a unit and conveying meaning

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noun choice of words and the way in which they are used

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verb to convey in language or words of a particular form

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Synonyms for phrase

noun an expression consisting of one or more words forming a grammatical constituent of a sentence

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noun a short musical passage

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noun an expression whose meanings cannot be inferred from the meanings of the words that make it up

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noun dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic sequence

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verb put into words or an expression

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verb divide, combine, or mark into phrases

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