15-letter words containing a, b, i, n
- double integral — an integral in which the integrand involves a function of two variables and that requires two applications of the integration process to evaluate.
- double negation — the principle that a statement is equivalent to the denial of its negation, as it is not the case that John is not here meaning John is here
- double negative — a syntactic construction in which two negative words are used in the same clause to express a single negation.
- doubting thomas — a person who refuses to believe without proof; skeptic. John 20:24–29.
- dribs and drabs — small sporadic amounts
- dynamic binding — The property of object-oriented programming languages where the code executed to perform a given operation is determined at run time from the class of the operand(s) (the receiver of the message). There may be several different classes of objects which can receive a given message. An expression may denote an object which may have more than one possible class and that class can only be determined at run time. New classes may be created that can receive a particular message, without changing (or recompiling) the code which sends the message. An class may be created that can receive any set of existing messages. One important reason for having dynamic binding is that it provides a mechanism for selecting between alternatives which is arguably more robust than explicit selection by conditionals or pattern matching. When a new subclass is added, or an existing subclass changes, the necessary modifications are localised: you don't have incomplete conditionals and broken patterns scattered all over the program. See overloading.
- eight-bit clean — (software) A term which describes a system that deals correctly with extended character sets which (unlike ASCII) use all eight bits of a byte. Many programs and communications systems assume that all characters have codes in the range 0 to 127. This leaves the top bit of each byte free for use as a parity bit or some kind of flag bit. These assumptions break down when the program is used in some non-english-speaking countries with larger alphabets. If a binary file is transmitted via a communications link which is not eight-bit clean, it will be corrupted. To combat this you can encode it with uuencode which uses only ASCII characters. There are some links however which are not even "seven-bit clean" and cause problems even for uuencoded data.
- elastic rebound — a theory of earthquakes that envisages gradual deformation of the fault zone without fault slippage until friction is overcome, when the fault suddenly slips to produce the earthquake
- embalming fluid — a liquid used to treat a dead body, which contains preservatives to retard putrefaction
- emission nebula — a type of nebula that emits visible radiation
- endocannabinoid — An endogenous cannabinoid, that is one produced by the body.
- endocannibalism — A form of cannibalism, the eating of dead members of one's own social group, often associated with spiritual beliefs.
- enfant terrible — If you describe someone as an enfant terrible, you mean that they are clever but unconventional, and often cause problems or embarrassment for their friends or families.
- enterobacterial — relating to enterobacteria
- enterobacterium — (microbiology) Any of very many gram-negative rod-shaped bacteria of the family Enterobacteriaceae, many of which are pathogenic.
- eta abstraction — eta conversion
- eustachian tube — part of the ear
- Évian-les-bains — a resort and spa town in E France, on Lake Geneva opposite Lausanne; noted for its bottled mineral waters. Pop: 8064 (2006)
- examining board — an organization that sets and corrects exams
- exchangeability — The condition of being exchangeable.
- exhibition game — In sports, an exhibition game is a game that is not part of a competition, and is played for entertainment or practice, often without any serious effort to win.
- exhibition hall — a hall in which pictures, sculptures, or other objects of interest are displayed
- extension cable — an extra length of cable with a plug and a connector that can be added to an electric lead
- fabric softener — a substance added to fabrics during laundering to make them puffier and softer.
- fallopian tubes — one of a pair of long, slender ducts in the female abdomen that transport ova from the ovary to the uterus and, in fertilization, transport sperm cells from the uterus to the released ova; the oviduct of higher mammals.
- family business — company owned and run by a family
- fashionableness — The state of being fashionable; stylishness; elegance.
- feather banding — decorative banding of veneer or inlay having the grain laid diagonally to the grain of the principal surface.
- field ambulance — a mobile medical unit that accepts casualties from forward units, treating the lightly wounded and stabilizing the condition of the seriously wounded before evacuating them to a hospital
- figurate number — a number having the property that the same number of equally spaced dots can be arranged in the shape of a regular geometrical figure.
- finger alphabet — a series of shapes made by the fingers that indicate letters of an alphabet and can be used in fingerspelling for the deaf
- fish and brewis — a Newfoundland dish of cooked salt cod and soaked hard bread
- fishing harbour — a place where fishing boats are tied up
- flemish brabant — a province of central Belgium, formed in 1995 from the N part of Brabant province: densely populated and intensively farmed, with large industrial centres. Pop: 1 031 904 (2004 est). Area: 2106 sq km (813 sq miles)
- fob destination — FOB destination is a shipping term indicating that ownership of goods passes at delivery to their destination, and the seller has total responsibility until then.
- fountains abbey — a ruined Cistercian abbey near Ripon in Yorkshire: founded 1132, dissolved 1539; landscaped 1720
- francis bushman — Francis X(avier) 1883–1966, U.S. film actor.
- francis turbine — a water turbine designed to produce high flow from a low head of pressure: used esp in hydroelectric power generation
- functionability — functional (def 3).
- galactic nebula — a nebula in the Milky Way.
- gambier islands — a group of islands in the S Pacific Ocean, in French Polynesia. Chief settlement: Rikitéa. Pop: 1097 (2002). Area: 30 sq km (11 sq miles)
- gambling losses — money lost as a result of playing games of chance for money
- gastric balloon — an inflatable rubber bag placed in the stomach to reduce its capacity as an aid to losing weight
- giant water bug — any of various aquatic bugs, as of the family Belostomatidae (giant water bug)
- gibson, william — William Gibson
- gilbert islands — a group of islands in the W Pacific: with Banaba, the Phoenix Islands, and three of the Line Islands they constitute the independent state of Kiribati; until 1975 they formed part of the British colony of Gilbert and Ellice Islands; achieved full independence in 1979. Pop: 82 902 (2005). Area: 295 sq km (114 sq miles)
- gingerbread man — biscuit in the shape of a man
- gnotobiological — relating to gnotobiology
- grabber pointer — (operating system) A mouse pointer sprite in the shape of a small hand that closes when a mouse button is clicked, indicating that the object on the screen under the pointer has been selected.
- great rebellion — English Civil War.