(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"
United States songwriter whose songs embody the sentiment of the South before the American Civil War (1826-1864)
providing or receiving nurture or parental care though not related by blood or legal ties; "foster parent"; "foster child"; "foster home"; "surrogate father"
help develop, help grow; "nurture his talents"
bring up under fosterage; of children
promote the growth of; "Foster our children's well-being and education"
that time; that moment; "we will arrive before then"; "we were friends from then on"
subsequently or soon afterward (often used as sentence connectors); "then he left"; "go left first, then right"; "first came lightning, then thunder"; "we watched the late movie and then went to bed"; "and so home and to bed"
at that time; "I was young then"; "prices were lower back then"; "science as it was then taught"
in that case or as a consequence; "if he didn't take it, then who did?"; "keep it then if you want to"; "the case, then, is closed"; "you've made up your mind then?"; "then you'll be rich"
the person who plays the position of forward on a basketball team
moving toward a position ahead; "forward motion"; "the onward course of events"
at or near or directed toward the front; "the forward section of the aircraft"; "a forward plunge down the stairs"; "forward motion"
of the transmission gear causing forward movement in a motor vehicle; "in a forward gear"
used of temperament or behavior; lacking restraint or modesty; "a forward child badly in need of discipline"
at or to or toward the front; "he faced forward"; "step forward"; "she practiced sewing backward as well as frontward on her new sewing machine"; (`forrad' and `forrard' are dialectal variations)
send or ship onward from an intermediate post or station in transit; "forward my mail"