(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"
having great power or force or potency or effect; "the most powerful government in western Europe"; "his powerful arms"; "a powerful bomb"; "the horse's powerful kick"; "powerful drugs"; "a powerful argument"
belonging to or characteristic of the nobility or aristocracy; "an aristocratic family"; "aristocratic Bostonians"; "aristocratic government"; "a blue family"; "blue blood"; "the blue-blooded aristocracy"; "of gentle blood"; "patrician landholders of the American South"; "aristocratic bearing"; "aristocratic features"; "patrician tastes"
old; no longer in use or valid or fashionable; "obsolete words"; "an obsolete locomotive"; "outdated equipment"; "superannuated laws"; "out-of-date ideas"
the prescribed procedure for conducting religious ceremonies
of or relating to or employed in social rites or rituals; "a ritual dance of Haiti"; "sedate little colonial tribe with its ritual tea parties"- Nadine Gordimer
of or relating to or characteristic of religious rituals; "ritual killing"
based on or manifesting objectively defined standards of rightness or morality; "principled pragmatism and unprincipled expediency"; "a principled person"
the number of observations in a given statistical category
the ratio of the number of observations in a statistical category to the total number of observations
the number of occurrences within a given time period; "the frequency of modulation was 40 cycles per second"; "the frequency of his seizures increased as he grew older"
in a manner that facilitates; "he observed the snakes so he could describe their behavior"; "he stooped down so he could pick up his hat"
to a very great extent or degree; "the idea is so obvious"; "never been so happy"; "I love you so"; "my head aches so!"
(usually followed by `that') to an extent or degree as expressed; "he was so tired he could hardly stand"; "so dirty that it smells"
in such a condition or manner, especially as expressed or implied; "They're happy and I hope they will remain so"; "so live your life that old age will bring no regrets"
to a certain unspecified extent or degree; "I can only go so far with this student"; "can do only so much in a day"
in the same way; also; "I was offended and so was he"; "worked hard and so did she"
carefree and happy and lighthearted; "was loved for her blithe spirit"; "a merry blithesome nature"; "her lighthearted nature"; "trilling songs with a lightsome heart"
lacking or showing a lack of due concern; "spoke with blithe ignorance of the true situation"