having the function of uniting a group of similar things; "the Democratic Party is an umbrella for many liberal groups"; "under the umbrella of capitalism"
a formation of military planes maintained over ground operations or targets; "an air umbrella over England"
a lightweight handheld collapsible canopy
covering or applying simultaneously to a number of similar items or elements or groups; "an umbrella organization"; "umbrella insurance coverage"
a thin layer covering something; "a second coat of paint"
a heavy fabric suitable for coats
a decorative texture or appearance of a surface (or the substance that gives it that appearance); "the boat had a metallic finish"; "he applied a coat of a clear finish"; "when the finish is too thin it is difficult to apply evenly"
the general impression that something (a person or organization or product) presents to the public; "although her popular image was contrived it served to inspire music and pageantry"; "the company tried to project an altruistic image"
an iconic mental representation; "her imagination forced images upon her too awful to contemplate"
(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"