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Phase vs Spell - What's the difference?

phase | spell |

In obsolete terms the difference between phase and spell

is that phase is passover while spell is to tell; to relate; to teach.

As a proper noun phase

is passover.

phase

English

Etymology 1

From ; compare phantasm and see face.

Noun

(en noun)
  • A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.
  • That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.
  • Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view.
  • The problem has many phases .
  • (astronomy) A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form, or the absence, of its enlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets''. Illustrated in .
  • (physics) Any one point or portion in a recurring series of changes, as in the changes of motion of one of the particles constituting a wave or vibration; one portion of a series of such changes, in distinction from a contrasted portion, as the portion on one side of a position of equilibrium, in contrast with that on the opposite side.
  • (chemistry) A component in a material system that is distinguished by chemical composition and/or physical state (solid, liquid or gas) and/or crystal structure. It is delineated from an adjoining phase by an abrupt change in one or more of those conditions.
  • (rugby union) The period of play between consecutive breakdowns.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2011 , date=Septembe 24 , author=Ben Dirs , title=Rugby World Cup 2011: England 67-3 Romania , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=When Romania did manage to string together' some ' phases midway through the first half, England's discipline held firm, although on the whole it was a less focused display from the Six Nations champions in the second half.}}
  • (genetics) A haplotype.
  • Verb

    (phas)
  • To begin—if construed with "in"—or to discontinue—if construed with out—(doing) something over a period of time (i.e. in phases).
  • The use of the obsolete machines was gradually phased''' out as the new models were '''phased in.
  • (genetics, informal, transitive) To determine haplotypes in (data) when genotypes are known.
  • To pass into or through a solid object.
  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Usage notes
    See notes at faze .
    Derived terms
    * phase in * phase out * unphased

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Alternative forms

    * Phase

    Proper noun

    (en proper noun)
  • (obsolete) Passover
  • References

    Anagrams

    * * * English terms with homophones ----

    spell

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) spel, spellian, spelian, from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) Speech, discourse.
  • Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.
  • He cast a spell to cure warts.
  • A magical effect or influence induced by an incantation or formula.
  • under a spell
    Synonyms
    * (words or formula supposed to have magical powers) cantrip, incantation * (magical effect induced by an incantation or formula) cantrip

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • (obsolete) To speak, to declaim.
  • * 1590 , Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene , I.ii:
  • O who can tell / The hidden power of herbes, and might of Magicke spell ?
  • (obsolete) To tell; to relate; to teach.
  • * T. Warton
  • Might I that legend find, / By fairies spelt in mystic rhymes.
  • To put under the influence of a spell; to affect by a spell; to bewitch; to fascinate; to charm.
  • * Dryden
  • Spelled with words of power.
  • * Sir G. Buck
  • He was much spelled with Eleanor Talbot.

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) .

    Verb

  • (obsolete) To read (something) as though letter by letter; to peruse slowly or with effort.
  • * 1851 , :
  • "He'll do," said Bildad, eyeing me, and then went on spelling away at his book in a mumbling tone quite audible.
  • To be able to write or say the letters that form words.
  • I find it difficult to spell because I'm dyslexic.
  • Of letters: to compose (a word).
  • The letters “a”, “n” and “d” spell “and”.
  • * {{quote-book, year=2008, author=Helen Fryer, title=The Esperanto Teacher citation
  • , isbn=9780554320076, page=13, publisher=BiblioBazaar, LLC, passage=In Esperanto each letter has only one sound, and each sound is represented in only one way. The words are pronounced exactly as spelt , every letter being sounded.}}
  • (figuratively) To indicate that (some event) will occur.
  • This spells trouble.
  • Please spell it out for me.
  • * 2003 , U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbel, Hearing before the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation , ISBN 1422334120:
  • When we get elected, for instance, we get one of these, and we are pretty much told what is in it, and it is our responsibility to read it and understand it, and if we do not, the Ethics Committee, we can call them any time of day and ask them to spell it out for us
  • To constitute; to measure.
  • * Fuller
  • the Saxon heptarchy, when seven kings put together did spell but one in effect
    Derived terms
    * speller * spelling * spello
    Synonyms
    * (to indicate that some event will occur) forebode; mean; signify * (to work in place of someone else) relieve * (to compose a word) (informal) comprise

    Etymology 3

    Origin uncertain; perhaps a form of (speld).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (dialectal) A splinter, usually of wood; a spelk.
  • (Holland)

    Etymology 4

    From (etyl) spelen, from (etyl) .

    Verb

  • To work in place of (someone).
  • to spell the helmsman
  • To rest (someone or something).
  • They spelled the horses and rested in the shade of some trees near a brook.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A shift (of work); a set of workers responsible for a specific turn of labour.
  • A period of (work or other activity).
  • *
  • , title= Mr. Pratt's Patients, chapter=1 , passage=A chap named Eleazir Kendrick and I had chummed in together the summer afore and built a fish-weir and shanty at Setuckit Point, down Orham way. For a spell we done pretty well. Then there came a reg'lar terror of a sou'wester same as you don't get one summer in a thousand, and blowed the shanty flat and ripped about half of the weir poles out of the sand.}}
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=April 22, author=Sam Sheringham, work=BBC Sport
  • , title= Liverpool 0-1 West Brom , passage=Despite his ill-fated spell at Anfield, he received a warm reception from the same Liverpool fans he struggled to win over before being sacked midway through last season.}}
  • An indefinite period of time (usually with some qualifying word).
  • * 1975 , (Bob Dylan), (Tangled Up in Blue)
  • I had a job in the great North Woods
    Workin' as a cook for a spell .
    But I never did like it all that much
    And one day the ax just fell.
  • A period of rest; time off.
  • (US) A period of illness, or sudden interval of bad spirits, disease etc.
  • (cricket) An uninterrupted series of alternate overs bowled by a single bowler.
  • Derived terms
    * dry spell * set a spell

    Anagrams

    * 1000 English basic words ----