(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"
(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"
a particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle
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"
adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition; "he phased the intake with the output of the machine"
a person who is authorized to read publications or correspondence or to watch theatrical performances and suppress in whole or in part anything considered obscene or politically unacceptable
someone who censures or condemns
subject to political, religious, or moral censorship; "This magazine is censored by the government"
any feature that is regarded as a sign of status (a particular power or quality or rank); "wearing a tie was regarded as a badge of respectability"
an emblem (a small piece of plastic or cloth or metal) that signifies your status (rank or membership or affiliation etc.); "they checked everyone's badge before letting them in"
any measurable property of a device measured under closely specified conditions
the integer part (positive or negative) of the representation of a logarithm; in the expression log 643 = 2.808 the characteristic is 2
typical or distinctive; "heard my friend's characteristic laugh"; "red and gold are the characteristic colors of autumn"; "stripes characteristic of the zebra"
an anatomical structure used as a point of origin in locating other anatomical structures (as in surgery) or as point from which measurements can be taken
a mark showing the boundary of a piece of land
an event marking a unique or important historical change of course or one on which important developments depend; "the agreement was a watershed in the history of both nations"
the position of a prominent or well-known object in a particular landscape; "the church steeple provided a convenient landmark"
an article of merchandise that is displayed or advertised more than other articles
the characteristic parts of a person's face: eyes and nose and mouth and chin; "an expression of pleasure crossed his features"; "his lineaments were very regular"
a prominent aspect of something; "the map showed roads and other features"; "generosity is one of his best characteristics"
a special or prominent article in a newspaper or magazine; "they ran a feature on retirement planning"
the principal (full-length) film in a program at a movie theater; "the feature tonight is `Casablanca'"