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phrase
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phrase
Show Spelled Pronunciation [freyz] Show IPA noun, verb, phrased, phrasing.
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noun
1.
Grammar.
a.
a sequence of two or more words arranged in a grammatical construction and acting
as a unit in a sentence.
b.
(in English) a sequence of two or more words that does not contain a finite verb and
its subject or that does not consist of clause elements such as subject, verb, object, or
complement, as a preposition and a noun or pronoun, an adjective and noun, or an
adverb and verb.
2.
Rhetoric. a word or group of spoken words that the mind focuses on momentarily as a
meaningful unit and is preceded and followed by pauses.
3. a characteristic, current, or proverbial expression: a hackneyed phrase.
4.
Music. a division of a composition, commonly a passage of four or eight measures,
forming part of a period.
5.
a way of speaking, mode of expression, or phraseology: a book written in the phrase of the
West.
6. a brief utterance or remark: In a phrase, he's a dishonest man.
7. Dance. a sequence of motions making up part of a choreographic pattern.
verb (used with object)
8. to express or word in a particular way: to phrase an apology well.
9. to express in words: to phrase one's thoughts.
10.
Music.
a. to mark off or bring out the phrases of (a piece), esp. in execution.
b. to group (notes) into a phrase.
verb (used without object)
11. Music. to perform a passage or piece with proper phrasing.

Origin:
152030; (n.) back formation from phrases, pl. of earlier phrasis < L phrasis diction, style (pl.
phrass) < Gk phrsis diction, style, speech, equiv. to phr(zein) to speak + -sis -SIS; (v.) deriv.
of the n.

Synonyms:
1. Phrase, expression, idiom, locution all refer to grammatically related groups of words. A
phrase is a sequence of two or more words that make up a grammatical construction, usually
lacking a finite verb and hence not a complete clause or sentence: shady lane (a noun phrase); at
the bottom (a prepositional phrase); very slowly (an adverbial phrase). In general use, phrase
refers to any frequently repeated or memorable group of words, usually of less than sentence
length or complexity: a case of feast or famineto use the well-known phrase. Expression is the
most general of these words and may refer to a word, a phrase, or even a sentence: prose filled
with old-fashioned expressions. An idiom is a phrase or larger unit of expression that is peculiar
to a single language or a variety of a language and whose meaning, often figurative, cannot
easily be understood by combining the usual meanings of its individual parts, as to go for broke.
Locution is a somewhat formal term for a word, a phrase, or an expression considered as peculiar
to or characteristic of a regional or social dialect or considered as a sample of language rather
than as a meaning-bearing item: a unique set of locutions heard only in the mountainous regions
of the South.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, Random House, Inc. 2010.
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Related Words for : phrase
articulate, formulate, give voice, word, musical phrase
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phrase (frz)
n.
1. A sequence of words intended to have meaning.
2.
a. A characteristic way or mode of expression.
b. A brief, apt, and cogent expression.
3. A word or group of words read or spoken as a unit and separated by pauses or other
junctures.
4. Grammar Two or more words in sequence that form a syntactic unit that is less than a
complete sentence.
5. Music A short passage or segment, often consisting of four measures or forming part of a
larger unit.
6. 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. To pace or mark off (something read aloud or spoken) by pauses.
3. Music
a. To divide (a passage) into phrases.
b. To combine (notes) in a phrase.
v. intr.

1. To make or render phrases, as in reading aloud.
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
w
hren- in Indo-European roots.]
phras'al adj., phras'al ly adv.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Cultural Dictionary

phrase
A group of grammatically connected words within a sentence: One council member left in a
huff; She got much satisfaction from planting daffodil bulbs. Unlike clauses, phrases do not
have both a subject and a predicate.
The American Heritage New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

phrase
1530, "manner or style of expression," also "group of words with some unity," from L.L. phrasis
"diction," from Gk. phrasis "speech, way of speaking, phraseology," from phrazein "to express,
tell," from phrazesthai "to consider," of unknown origin. The musical sense of "short passage" is
from 1789. The verb sense "to put into a phrase" is from 1570. Phraseology "choice or
arrangement of words" first recorded 1664.
Online Etymology Dictionary, 2001 Douglas Harper
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noun phrase
- 2 dictionary results
noun phrase

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noun Grammar.
a construction that functions syntactically as a noun, consisting of a noun and any modifiers, as
all the men in the room who are reading books, or of a noun substitute, as a pronoun.

Origin:
195055
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noun phrase
n. Abbr. NP
A phrase whose head is a noun, as our favorite restaurant.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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adjective phrase
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adjective phrase

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noun Grammar.
a group of words including an adjective and its complements or modifiers that functions as an
adjective, as too openly critical of the administration.
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Definitions of 'adverb'

Dictionary.com The American Heritage Dictionary - (2 definitions)
[Middle English adverbe, from Old French, from Latin adverbium (translation of Greek
epirrhma), ad-, in relation to; see ad, + verbum, word, verb.]
(noun)
1.
a. The part of speech that modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb.
2. Any of the words belonging to this part of speech, such as so, very, and rapidly.
Adverb Phrase



As we have seen already in the section on Adverb, Adverb is a word which gives an additional detail
about the meaning of a verb or an adjective or another adverb.

In many sentences, the adverb need not be a word. An adverb may be a phrase as in the following
sentences.

Just as the work of an adjective is done by a group of words called Adjective-phrase, so the work of an
adverb can be done by a group of words which is called ADVERB-PHRASE.

Examples:

Clinton ran quickly.
In this sentence, the adverb quickly gives another detail about the verb ran.

Clinton ran with great speed.
In this sentence, the same meaning has been conveyed by using a group of words-with great speed.

In this same manner, the meaning of an adverb can be conveyed by using different a group of words.

That group of words is called ADVERB-PHRASE.

In the following sentences, the first sentence and the second sentence in a pair convey the same
meaning but using adverb in the first sentence and adverb-phrase in the second sentence.

He answered rudely.
He answered in a rude manner.

He does his work carelessly.
He does his work without care.

No such diseases were known then.
No such diseases were known in those days.

The mango fell here.
The mango fell on this spot.

This product is available everywhere.
This product is available in all places.

You can find the pencil there.
You can find the pencil in that place.

He has gone abroad.
He has gone to a foreign nation.

We constructed this house only recently.
We constructed this house only few months back.

An Adverb phrase is a group of words that does the work of an adverb.

Here few adverbs with their corresponding adverb-phrases have been given for you reference.

Bravelyin a brave manner
BravelyWith bravery
UnwiselyIn an unwise manner
Unwiselywithout wisdom
Swiftlyin a swift manner
Swiftlywith swiftness
Beautifullyin a beautiful manner
Formerlyin the former times
Formerly once upon a time
Soonat an early date
Thereat that place
Awayto another place
Loudlyin a loud noise



Few more examples:

In the following sentences, the Adverb-Phrases have been colored blue.

Did he behave well?
Did he behave in a good manner?

Go away.
Go from here.

Gently fell the rain.
In a gentle manner fell the rain.

The dying man replied feebly.
The dying man replied in a feeble manner.

Let us cease from work henceforth.
Let us cease from work from this moment.

The bodies were mangled terribly.
The bodies were mangled in terrible manner.

It was here he died.
It was on this spot where he died.

He seems to have acted promptly.
He seems to have acted with great promptitude.
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prepositional phrase
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prepositional phrase

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noun Grammar.
a phrase consisting of a preposition, its object, which is usually a noun or a pronoun, and any
modifiers of the object, as in the gray desk I use.

Origin:
196065
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prepositional phrase
n. Abbr. PP
A phrase that consists of a preposition and its object and has adjectival or adverbial value, such
as in the house in the people in the house or by him in The book was written by him.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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verb phrase
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verb phrase

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noun Grammar.
1.
a group of words including a verb and its complements, objects, or other modifiers that
functions syntactically as a verb. In English a verb phrase combines with a noun or noun
phrase acting as subject to form a simple sentence.
2.
a phrase consisting of a main verb and any auxiliaries but not including modifiers, objects,
or complements.
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predicate
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verb phrase
n. Abbr. VP

1. A phrase consisting of a verb and its auxiliaries, as should be done in the sentence The
students should be done with the exam by noon.
2. A phrase consisting of a verb, its auxiliaries, its complements, and other modifiers, as
should be done with the exam by noon in the sentence The students should be done with
the exam by noon.
The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/verb+phrase