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phrase

Pronunciation: /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/

The English word “phrase” has 8 meanings listed here.

noun

  1. A short written or spoken expression.
  2. A word or, more commonly, a group of words that functions as a single unit in the syntax of a sentence, always containing an expressed or implied head (the principal word or subgroup, with core importance) and often consisting of a head plus some other elaborating words.
  3. A small section of music in a larger piece.
  4. A mode or form of speech; diction; expression.
  5. A short individual motion forming part of a choreographed dance.

verb

  1. To express (an action, thought or idea) by means of particular words.
  2. To perform (a passage) with a particular phrasing.
  3. To divide into melodic phrases.

Etymology

Borrowed from Late Latin phrasis (“diction”), from Ancient Greek φράσις (phrásis, “manner of expression”), from φράζω (phrázō, “to tell, express”).

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Definitions are from Wiktionary, extracted by Kaikki.org, and are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.