Phase vs. Span — What's the Difference?

A distinct period or stage in a series of events or a process of change or development

The extent or measure of space between two points or extremities, as of a bridge or roof; the breadth.

Each of the aspects of the moon or a planet, according to the amount of its illumination, especially the new moon, the first quarter, the full moon, and the last quarter.

The distance between the tips of the wings of an airplane.

A genetic or seasonal variety of an animal's coloration

The section between two abutments or piers of a bridge.

A distinct and homogeneous form of matter (i.e. a particular solid, liquid, or gas) separated by its surface from other forms

Something, such as a railroad trestle or bridge, that extends from one point to another.

The relationship in time between the successive states or cycles of an oscillating or repeating system (such as an alternating electric current or a light or sound wave) and either a fixed reference point or the states or cycles of another system with which it may or may not be in synchrony

The distance from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger when the hand is fully extended, formerly used as a unit of measure equal to about 9 inches (23 centimeters).

(in systemic grammar) the relationship between a catenative verb and the verb that follows it, as in she hoped to succeed and I like swimming.

A period of time

Carry out (something) in gradual stages

(Nautical) A stretch of rope made fast at either end.

Adjust the phase of (something), especially so as to synchronize it with something else

A pair of animals, such as oxen, matched as in size or color and driven as a team.

A distinct stage of development

To extend across in space or time

A temporary manner, attitude, or pattern of behavior

To encircle or cover with the hand or hands.

An aspect; a part

To measure in spans.

One of the cyclically recurring apparent shapes of the visibly illuminated portion of the moon or a planet.

A past tense of spin.

The relative configuration, measured in angular units such as degrees or radians, of two orbiting bodies that periodically eclipse.

The full width of an open hand from the end of the thumb to the end of the little finger used as an informal unit of length.

A particular stage in a periodic process or phenomenon.

Any of various traditional units of length approximating this distance, especially the English handspan of 9 inches forming ⅛ fathom and equivalent to 22.86 cm.

The fraction of a complete cycle elapsed as measured from a specified reference point and often expressed as an angle.

(by extension) A small space or a brief portion of time.

Any of the forms or states, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma, in which matter can exist, depending on temperature and pressure.

A portion of something by length; a subsequence.

A discrete homogeneous part of a material system that is mechanically separable from the rest, as is ice from water.

The spread or extent of an arch or between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between supports.

(Biology) A characteristic form, appearance, or stage of development that occurs in a cycle or that distinguishes some individuals of a group

The length of a cable, wire, rope, chain between two consecutive supports.

To plan or carry out systematically by phases.

(nautical) A rope having its ends made fast so that a purchase can be hooked to the bight; also, a rope made fast in the center so that both ends can be used.

To set or regulate so as to be synchronized.

A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.

To become incorporeal so as to be able to move through a solid object

(mathematics) The space of all linear combinations of something.

A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.

(computing) The time required to execute a parallel algorithm on an infinite number of processors, i.e. the shortest distance across a directed acyclic graph representing the computation steps.

That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.

Wingspan of a plane or bird

Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view.

(transitive) To extend through the distance between or across.

(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. Illustrated in Wikipedia's article Lunar phase.

(transitive) To extend through (a time period).

(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.

(transitive) To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object.

(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.

(mathematics) To generate an entire space by means of linear combinations.

(zoology) In certain organisms, one of two or more colour variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age.

To be matched, as horses.

(rugby union) The period of play between consecutive breakdowns.

(transitive) To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.

(genetics) A haplotype.

The space from the thumb to the end of the little finger when extended; nine inches; eighth of a fathom.

(math) The arctangent of the quotient formed by dividing the imaginary part of a complex number by the real part.

Hence, a small space or a brief portion of time.

(music) A distortion caused by a difference in the speed of propagation for different frequencies

The spread or extent of an arch between its abutments, or of a beam, girder, truss, roof, bridge, or the like, between its supports.

(electrical engineering) In a polyphase electrical power system, one of the power-carrying conductors, or the alternating current carried by it.

A rope having its ends made fast so that a purchase can be hooked to the bight; also, a rope made fast in the center so that both ends can be used.

To begin—if construed with "in"—or to discontinue—if construed with out—(doing) something over a period of time (i.e. in phases).

A pair of horses or other animals driven together; usually, such a pair of horses when similar in color, form, and action.

Antique form of faze.

To measure by the span of the hand with the fingers extended, or with the fingers encompassing the object; as, to span a space or distance; to span a cylinder.

To determine haplotypes in (data) when genotypes are known.

To reach from one side of to the order; to stretch over as an arch.

To pass into or through a solid object.

To fetter, as a horse; to hobble.

(science fiction) To use a phaser.

To be matched, as horses.

(obsolete) Passover

The complete duration of something;

That which is exhibited to the eye; the appearance which anything manifests, especially any one among different and varying appearances of the same object.

The distance or interval between two points

Any appearance or aspect of an object of mental apprehension or view; as, the problem has many phases.

Two items of the same kind

A particular appearance or state in a regularly recurring cycle of changes with respect to quantity of illumination or form of enlightened disk; as, the phases of the moon or planets. See Illust. under Moon.

A unit of length based on the width of the expanded human hand (usually taken as 9 inches)

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.

A structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.

A homogenous, physically distinct portion of matter in a system not homogeneous; as, the three phases, ice, water, and aqueous vapor. A phase may be either a single chemical substance or a mixture, as of gases.

The act of sitting or standing astride

In certain birds and mammals, one of two or more color variations characteristic of the species, but independent of the ordinary seasonal and sexual differences, and often also of age. Some of the herons which appear in white and colored phases, and certain squirrels which are sometimes uniformly blackish instead of the usual coloration, furnish examples. Color phases occur also in other animals, notably in butterflies.

To cover or extend over an area or time period;

The relation at any instant of a periodically varying electric magnitude, as electro-motive force, a current, etc., to its initial value as expressed in factorial parts of the complete cycle. It is usually expressed in angular measure, the cycle beb four right angles, or 360°. Such periodic variations are generally well represented by sine curves; and phase relations are shown by the relative positions of the crests and hollows of such curves. Magnitudes which have the same phase are said to be in phase.

The relation at any instant of any cyclically varying physical quantity, such as voltage in an A.C. circuit, an electromagnetic wave, a sound wave, or a rotating object, to its initial value as expressed as a fractional part of the complete cycle. It is usually expressed in angular measure, the complete cycle being 360°.

To disturb the composure of; to disconcert; to nonplus; - an older spelling, now replaced by faze.

(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;

Any distinct time period in a sequence of events;

A particular point in the time of a cycle; measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle

(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);

Arrange in phases or stages;

Adjust so as to be in a synchronized condition;