Definitions for phrase
freɪzphrase

Princeton's WordNet(3.33 / 3 votes)Rate this definition:

1. phrase(noun)

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

2. phrase, musical phrase(noun)

   a short musical passage

3. idiom, idiomatic expression, phrasal idiom, set phrase, phrase(noun)

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

4. phrase(verb)

   dance movements that are linked in a single choreographic sequence

5. give voice, formulate, word, phrase, articulate(verb)

   put into words or an expression

   "He formulated his concerns to the board of trustees"

6. phrase(verb)

   divide, combine, or mark into phrases

   "phrase a musical passage"

Wiktionary(2.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. phrase(Noun)

   A short written or spoken expression.

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

2. phrase(Noun)

   A word or 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.

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

3. phrase(Noun)

   A small section of music in a larger piece.

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

4. phrase(Verb)

   To perform a passage with the correct phrasing.

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

5. phrase(Verb)

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

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

6. phrase(Verb)

   To divide into melodic phrases.

   Etymology: From phrasis, from φράσις, from φράζω.

Webster Dictionary(3.50 / 2 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Phrase(noun)

   a brief expression, sometimes a single word, but usually two or more words forming an expression by themselves, or being a portion of a sentence; as, an adverbial phrase

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

2. Phrase(noun)

   a short, pithy expression; especially, one which is often employed; a peculiar or idiomatic turn of speech; as, to err is human

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

3. Phrase(noun)

   a mode or form of speech; the manner or style in which any one expreses himself; diction; expression

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

4. Phrase(noun)

   a short clause or portion of a period

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

5. Phrase(verb)

   to express in words, or in peculiar words; to call; to style

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

6. Phrase(verb)

   to use proper or fine phrases

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

7. Phrase(verb)

   to group notes into phrases; as, he phrases well. See Phrase, n., 4

   Etymology: [F., fr. L. phrasis diction, phraseology, Gr. , fr. to speak.]

Freebase(5.00 / 1 vote)Rate this definition:

1. Phrase

   In everyday speech, a phrase may refer to any group of words. In linguistics, a phrase is a group of words that form a constituent and so function as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence. A phrase is lower on the grammatical hierarchy than a clause.

Chambers 20th Century Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Phrase

   frāz, n. two or more words expressing a single idea by themselves, or showing the manner or style in which a person expresses himself: part of a sentence: a short pithy expression: phraseology: (mus.) a short clause or portion of a sentence.—v.t. to express in words: to style.—n. Phrase′-book, a book containing or explaining phrases.—adj. Phrase′less, incapable of being described.—ns. Phrase′-man, Phrase′-mong′er, a wordy speaker or writer; Phrā′seogram, Phrā′seograph, a combination of shorthand characters to represent a phrase or sentence.—adjs. Phraseolog′ic, -al, pertaining to phraseology: consisting of phrases.—adv. Phraseolog′ically.—ns. Phraseol′ogist, a maker or a collector of phrases; Phrāseol′ogy, style or manner of expression or arrangement of phrases: peculiarities of diction: a collection of phrases in a language; Phrā′ser, a mere maker or repeater of phrases.—adj. Phrā′sical.—n. Phrā′sing, the wording of a speech or passage: (mus.) the grouping and accentuation of the sounds in a melody. [Fr.,—L.,—Gr. phrasis—phrazein, to speak.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. phrase

   An expression of words.

   There are many phrases we use daily like - unity and teamwork makes the plan work.......

   Submitted by MaryC on March 15, 2020  

Suggested Resources(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. phrase

   Song lyrics by phrase -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by phrase on the Lyrics.com website.

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'phrase' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #3359

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'phrase' in Written Corpus Frequency: #2607

3. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'phrase' in Nouns Frequency: #1054

Anagrams for phrase »

1. pasher, phaser, seraph, shaper, sharpe, Sherpa, sherpa, sphear

2. Sherpa

How to pronounce phrase?

1. 

   Alex

   US English

   

   Daniel

   British

   

   Karen

   Australian

   

   Veena

   Indian

How to say phrase in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of phrase in Chaldean Numerology is: 6

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of phrase in Pythagorean Numerology is: 4

Examples of phrase in a Sentence

1. Stendhal:

   I think no woman I have had ever gave me so sweet a moment, or at so light a price, as the moment I owe to a newly heard musical phrase.

2. Salman Rushdie:

   Both John F. Kennedy and Nelson Mandela use the same three-word phrase which in my mind says it all, which is, 'Freedom is Indivisible,' you can't slice it up, otherwise it ceases to be freedom. You can dislike Charlie Hedbo. ... But the fact that you dislike them has nothing to do with their right to speak.

3. Kellyanne Conway:

   I don't use that phrase. Yet there is ample evidence that the media are often the enemy of the relevant.

4. President Donald Trump:

   We will transition into greatness. That's a phrase you're going to hear a lot, because that's what's going to happen, it's a transition to greatness. And greatness is next year.

5. Pete Buttigieg:

   At that time, I was talking about a lot of issues around racial reconciliation in our community. What I did not understand at that time was that phrase ... was coming to be viewed as a sort of counter slogan to Black Lives Matter, since learning about how that phrase was being used to push back on that activism, I've stopped using it in that context.

Images & Illustrations of phrase

Popularity rank by frequency of use