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phrase

Syllabification: (phrase)
Pronunciation: /frāz/
Translate phrase | into French | into German | into Italian | into Spanish
Definition of phrase

noun

  • a small group of words standing together as a conceptual unit, typically forming a component of a clause.
  • an idiomatic or short pithy expression:his favorite phrase is “it’s a pleasure.”
  • Music a group of notes forming a distinct unit within a longer passage.
  • Ballet a group of steps within a longer sequence or dance.

verb

[with object]
  • put into a particular form of words:it’s important to phrase the question correctly
  • divide (music) into phrases in a particular way, especially in performance: (as noun phrasing)original phrasing brought out unexpected aspects of the music

Phrases

turn of phrase

a manner of expression:an awkward turn of phrase

Origin:

mid 16th century (in the sense 'style or manner of expression'): via late Latin from Greek phrasis, from phrazein 'declare, tell'

Grammar

A group of words that forms part of a clause. A phrase is built up on a headword, and the types of phrase are named according to the class the headword belongs to:

headword example uses in a clause
noun phrasenouna large jug of watersubject, object, complement
verb phraseverbhave been seeingverb
prepositional phraseprepositionby the roadsideadverbial, part of a noun phrase
adjective phraseadjectivevery big indeedpart of a noun phrase, complement
adverb phraseadverbrather too slowlyadverbial

phrase in other Oxford dictionaries

Definition of phrase in the British & World English dictionary

Nearby words

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