29-letter words containing a, b, e, r
- programmable logic controller — (hardware) (PLC) A device used to automate monitoring and control of industrial plant. Can be used stand-alone or in conjunction with a SCADA or other system.
- programmable read-only memory — (storage) (PROM) A kind of ROM which can be written using a PROM programmer. The contents of each bit is determined by a fuse or antifuse. The memory can be programmed once after manufacturing by "blowing" the fuses, which is an irreversible process. Blowing a fuse opens a connection while blowing an antifuse closes a connection (hence the name). Programming is done by applying high-voltage pulses which are not encountered during normal operation.
- put sb/go through their paces — If you put someone through their paces or make them go through their paces, you get them to show you how well they can do something.
- put the cart before the horse — a heavy two-wheeled vehicle, commonly without springs, drawn by mules, oxen, or the like, used for the conveyance of heavy goods.
- receivables collection period — A receivables collection period is a measure of cash flow that is calculated by dividing average receivables by credit sales per day.
- shell-and-tube heat exchanger — A shell-and-tube heat exchanger is a type of heat exchanger that consists of a cylinder carrying one fluid, with some smaller cylinders inside it carrying another fluid.
- shipshape and bristol fashion — in good order; efficiently arranged
- simple object access protocol — (protocol) (SOAP) A minimal set of conventions for invoking code using XML over HTTP.
- small business administration — a federal agency, created in 1953, that grants or guarantees long-term loans to small businesses. Abbreviation: SBA, S.B.A.
- software description database — (networking) Archie's database of names and short descriptions of many of the software packages, documents (like RFCs and educational material), and data files that are available via the Internet.
- symbolic automatic integrator — (mathematics, tool) (SAINT) A symbolic mathematics program written in Lisp by J. Slagle at MIT in 1961.
- the five heads of predicables — five Aristotelian classes of predicates namely genus, species, difference, property, and relation
- the northern ireland assembly — the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland, located at Stormont in Belfast
- the royal ulster constabulary — (formerly) the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001, superseded by the Police Service of Northern Ireland
- to get sb in the party spirit — to make someone feel like going to a party
- to have a learning disability — to be unable to reach the average standard of people of the same age group as regards intellectual and cognitive skills and performance
- to have sb's guts for garters — to be extremely angry with someone
- to have your back to the wall — If you have your back to the wall, you are in a very difficult situation and can see no way out of it.
- to invade sb's personal space — to come too close to somebody, so that they feel uncomfortable
- to keep your head above water — If you keep your head above water, you just avoid getting into difficulties; used especially to talk about business.
- to pay cash on the barrelhead — to pay at the time of purchase
- to take the bull by the horns — If you take the bull by the horns, you do something that you feel you ought to do even though it is difficult, dangerous, or unpleasant.
- to throw good money after bad — If you say that someone is throwing good money after bad, you are critical of them for trying to improve a bad situation by spending more money on it, instead of doing more thoughtful or practical things to improve it.
- to thumb your nose at someone — If you thumb your nose at someone, you behave in a way that shows that you do not care what they think.
- translation look-aside buffer — (storage, architecture) (TLB) A table used in a virtual memory system, that lists the physical address page number associated with each virtual address page number. A TLB is used in conjunction with a cache whose tags are based on virtual addresses. The virtual address is presented simultaneously to the TLB and to the cache so that cache access and the virtual-to-physical address translation can proceed in parallel (the translation is done "on the side"). If the requested address is not cached then the physical address is used to locate the data in main memory. The alternative would be to place the translation table between the cache and main memory so that it will only be activated once there was a cache miss.
- windows hardware quality labs — (body, standard) (WHQL) A Microsoft body that produces and supports the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility Test kit for current Microsoft operating systems. Products are tested with the kit to ensure that they meet Microsoft standards for compatibility with Windows and to qualify to use the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logos.
- women's liberation (movement) — the women's movement begun in the mid-20th cent.