1043
physiology
pho-to-gen-ic /fəʊtə'dʒenɪk◂ ,fəʊtə-/ adj (especially of a
person) having an appearance that looks pleasing or effec-
tive when photographed
pho-to-graph¹ /'fəʊtəɡrɑ:f||-'ɡræf/ also photo, picture
infml — n a picture obtained by using a camera and film
sensitive to light: a black and white/colour photograph | He
took a photograph of (=photographed) his son. | Did you see
John's photograph (=a photograph of John) in the local
paper? | an aerial photograph (=taken from the air)
photograph² v 1 [T] to make a picture of (someone or
something) by using a camera and film sensitive to light: He
enjoys photographing mountain landscapes. 2 [|+adv] to pro-
duce an effect, likeness, or picture of the stated kind when
used as the subject of a photograph: She photographs well.
pho-tog-ra-pher /fə'tɒɡrəfə||-'tɑ:-/ n a person who takes
photographs, especially as a business or an art: a portrait
photographer | a fashion photographer | a keen amateur
photographer
pho-to-graph-ic /fəʊtə'ɡræfɪk/ adj 1 [no comp.] of, got
by, or used in producing photographs: photographic
equipment | a photographic studio 2 (of a person's memory)
able to keep an image of things that one has seen with very
great exactness —-ally /kli/ adv
pho-tog-ra-phy /fə'tɒɡrəfi||-'tɑ:-/ n [U] the art, system, or
business of producing photographs or films: Photography is
one of his hobbies. | There was some marvellous wildlife
photography in the documentary.
pho-to-jour-nal-is-m /fəʊtəʊ'dʒɜ:nəl-ɪzəm||-ɜ:r-/ n [U]
the use of photographs to record and make statements
about news events
pho-ton /'fəʊtɒn||-tɑ:n/ n a unit of ENERGY with no mass
that carries light
Pho-to-rea-lis-m /fəʊtəʊ'rɪəlɪzəm/ a style of painting
that was popular in the 1960s and 1970s, especially in the
US, in which the paintings were very like photographs,
usually showing very ordinary objects from everyday life
with very exact details
pho-to-sen-si-tive /fəʊtəʊ'sensɪtɪv◂ ||-tə'sen-/ adj chang-
ing under the action of light: photosensitive paper
pho-to-sen-si-tize also -tise BrE /fəʊtəʊ'sensɪtaɪz||
-tə'sen-/ v [T] to make photosensitive: photosensitized paper
—-tization /fəʊtəʊsensɪtaɪ'zeɪʃən||-təsensɪtə-/ n [U]
pho-to-stat /'fəʊtəstæt/ v -tt- [T] to PHOTOCOPY, especially
using a Photostat
Photostat n trademark (a type of machine used for making) a
PHOTOCOPY —-ic /fəʊtə'stætɪk◂/ adj
pho-to-syn-the-sis /fəʊtəʊ'sɪnθəsɪs||-'tɑ:sɪn-/ n [U] the
production of special sugar-like substances that keep plants
alive, caused by the action of sunlight on CHLOROPHYLL (=the
green matter in leaves); the way green plants make their own
food
pho-to-type-set-ter /fəʊtə'taɪpsetər/ n a TYPESETTER
that works like a camera, using light to print images of
characters on photographic paper —-ting n [U]
phras-al /'freɪzəl/ adj made up of or connected with a phrase
or phrases
phrasal 'verb n a group of words that acts like a verb and
consists usually of a verb with an adverb and/or a PREPOSI-
TION. 'Set off' and 'put up with' are phrasal verbs. In this
dictionary phrasal verbs are marked phr v.
phrase¹ /freɪz/ n 1 (in grammar) a group of words without a
FINITE verb, especially when they are used to form part of a
sentence: 'Walking along the road' and 'a packet of cigarettes'
are phrases. → compare CLAUSE, SENTENCE 2 a short expres-
sion, especially one that is clever and very suited to what is
meant: He was – what is the phrase I'm looking for – not
intimately acquainted with his subject. → see also to coin a
phrase (COIN), turn a phrase (TURN) 3 a short independent
passage of music that is part of a longer piece
phrase² v [T+obj+adv/prep] 1 to express in the stated way: He
phrased his criticisms carefully/in careful terms. | a politely-
phrased refusal 2 to perform (music) so as to give full effect
to separate PHRASES
phrase-book /'freɪzbʊk/ n a book giving and explaining
phrases of a particular (foreign) language, for people to use
when they go abroad
phra-se-ol-o-gy /freɪzi'ɒlədʒi||-'ɑ:-/ n [U] the way in
which words are chosen, arranged, and/or used, especially in
the stated subject or field: I don't understand all this scien-
tific phraseology.
phre-no-lo-gy /frə'nɒlədʒi||-'nɑ:-/ n [U] the study of the
shape of the human head, claimed to show a subject's
character and mental ability, especially popular in the 19th
century —phrenologist n
phut /fʌt/ n infml 1 BrE a dull sound like something burst-
ing 2 go phut BrE || go kaput AmE to break down completely:
The television's gone phut.
phwoar /fwɔ:r/ interj BrE infml used to show that you think
someone is sexually attractive: Phwoar! Look at her!
phy-lum /'faɪləm/ n pl. phyla /'faɪlə/ tech a main division of
animals or plants (or languages), above a CLASS
Phys. Ed. /fɪz 'ed/ [U] AmE physical education; sport and
physical exercises taught as a school subject, which is also
called 'PE': I enjoy Phys. Ed. | a Phys. Ed. lesson/teacher →
compare GYM
phys-ic /'fɪzɪk/ n [C;U] old use or humor (a) medicine, especially a
LAXATIVE: a dose of physic → see also PHYSICS
phys-i-cal¹ /'fɪzɪkəl/ adj 1 of or for the body: physical
exercise | physical strength | people with mental or physical
disabilities | a complete physical examination → see also
PHYSICAL 2 of or being matter or material things, as
opposed to things of the mind, spirit etc: the physical
world 3 of or according to the laws of nature: There must be
a physical explanation for these strange happenings. 4 [A]
concerning the natural formation of the Earth's surface:
physical geography 5 [A] (of certain sciences) of the branch
that is connected with physics: physical chemistry 6 euph
(especially in sports) using violence; rough: That tackle was
rather physical! → see also PHYSICALLY
physical² also medical, physical exami'nation n a
thorough examination of the body and general health of a
person by a doctor, especially in order to discover whether
they are fit to do a particular job: The company insisted that
he had a complete physical. | to pass/fail the physical →
compare CHECKUP
physical edu'cation abbrev. P.E. BrE || Phys. Ed. AmE — n
[U] the time spent in school at sports and exercise
physical 'jerks n [P] humor bodily exercises
phys-i-call-y /'fɪzɪkli/ adv 1 with regard to the body: He's all
right physically, but mentally he's rather confused. 2 infml
completely: It's physically impossible to finish all this work
by the end of the week.
physically 'challenged adj AmE euph physically HANDI-
CAPPED
physical 'science n [U] those branches of science which
are concerned mainly with non-living things, e.g. PHYSICS,
chemistry, and ASTRONOMY
physical 'training also physical education n → see PT
phy-si-cian /fɪ'zɪʃən/ n old-fash 1 a doctor, especially one
who treats diseases with medicines (as opposed to a SURGEON
who performs operations) 2 physician, heal thyself a
phrase from the Bible, used when saying that a person
should deal with their own problems or weaknesses before
they begin to advise others
phys-i-cist /'fɪzəsɪst/ n a person who studies or works in
physics
phys-ics /'fɪzɪks/ n [U] the science concerned with the study
of matter and natural forces, such as light, heat, movement
etc
phys-i-o /'fɪziəʊ/ n pl. -os infml a physiotherapist
phys-i-og-no-my /fɪzi'ɒnəmi||-'ɑ:-, -'ɑ:ɡ-/ n fml or tech the
general appearance of the face, especially as showing the
character and the mind
phys-i-ol-o-gy /fɪzi'ɒlədʒi||-'ɑ:-/ n [U] a science concerned
with the study of how the bodies of living things, and their
various parts, work → compare ANATOMY —-gist n —-gical
/fɪziə'lɒdʒɪkəl◂ ||-'ɑ:-/ adj: The doctors could find no physi-
ological cause for his illness, and decided it must be psychoso-
matic.