15-letter words containing a, c, h, i
- autotrophically — through an autotrophic process
- axiom of choice — the axiom of set theory that given any collection of disjoint sets, a set can be so constructed that it contains one element from each of the given sets.
- azuchi-momoyama — a period of Japanese art, 1568–1600, characterized by construction of imposing, elegant castles and small, unadorned teahouses, lavish decorative arts, and bright-colored painting.
- bacchanalianism — the practice of bacchanalian behaviour; drunken revelry
- back-scratching — a reciprocal exchange of favors, aid, or compliments
- baconian method — induction (def 4a).
- baconian theory — the theory attributing the authorship of Shakespeare's plays to Francis Bacon.
- bacterial ghost — a bacterial cell that is emptied and filled artificially with another substance
- bacteriophagous — Pertaining to the predation and consumption of bacterium.
- bait and switch — Bait and switch is used to refer to a sales technique in which goods are advertised at low prices in order to attract customers, although only a small number of the low-priced goods are available.
- bait-and-switch — denoting a deceptive method of selling, by which customers, attracted to a store by sale items, are told either that the advertised bargain item is out of stock or is inferior to a higher-priced item that is available.
- baltic exchange — a group of companies, based in London, which engages in trading activities, esp chartering cargo vessels
- barbizon school — a group of French painters of landscapes of the 1840s, including Théodore Rousseau, Daubigny, Diaz, Corot, and Millet
- barcelona chair — an armless, padded leather chair on a steel frame shaped like a curved X: Barcelona is a trademark for this chair
- bargaining chip — In negotiations with other people, a bargaining chip is something that you are prepared to give up in order to obtain what you want.
- barium chloride — a poisonous compound, BaCl2, consisting of flat white crystals that are soluble in water: it is used to treat water, metals, leather, etc.
- barium chromate — a yellow, crystalline compound, BaCrO 4 , used as a pigment (barium yellow)
- barley sandwich — a drink of beer, esp at lunch time
- basic anhydride — a compound formed by removing water from a more complex compound: an oxide of a nonmetal (acid anhydride) or a metal (basic anhydride) that forms an acid or a base, respectively, when united with water.
- bathing costume — A bathing costume is a piece of clothing that is worn for swimming, especially by women and girls.
- bathing machine — a small hut, on wheels so that it could be pulled to the sea, used in the 18th and 19th centuries for bathers to change their clothes
- bathing-machine — a small bathhouse on wheels formerly used as a dressing room and in which bathers could also be transported from the beach to the water.
- bathymetrically — In a bathymetric way.
- be in the black — If a person or an organization is in the black, they do not owe anyone any money.
- benzal chloride — a colorless, oily liquid, C 7 H 6 Cl 2 , used chiefly in the synthesis of benzaldehyde, and in the manufacture of dyes.
- berenice's hair — the constellation Coma Berenices
- biblical hebrew — the Hebrew language used in the Old Testament. Abbreviation: BiblHeb.
- bibliographical — a complete or selective list of works compiled upon some common principle, as authorship, subject, place of publication, or printer.
- billing machine — a business machine used to itemize and total customer accounts, produce bills, post account records, etc.
- biomathematical — relating to biomathematics
- biomechanically — from a biomechanical point of view
- birch partridge — ruffed grouse
- bishop auckland — a town in N England, in central Durham: seat of the bishops of Durham since the 12th century: light industries. Pop: 24 764 (2001)
- black and white — In a black and white photograph or film, everything is shown in black, white, and grey.
- black-and-white — displaying only black and white tones; without color, as a picture or chart: a black-and-white photograph.
- blackwall hitch — a knot for hooking tackle to the end of a rope, holding fast when pulled but otherwise loose
- blenheim palace — a palace in Woodstock in Oxfordshire: built (1705–22) by Sir John Vanbrugh for the 1st Duke of Marlborough as a reward from the nation for his victory at Blenheim; gardens laid out by Henry Wise and Capability Brown; birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill (1874)
- boarding school — A boarding school is a school which some or all of the pupils live in during the school term. Compare day school.
- brachial plexus — a network of nerves in the armpits and neck, innervating the shoulders, arms, and hands.
- brachiocephalic — of, relating to, or supplying the arm and head
- brachistochrone — the curve between two points through which a body moves under the force of gravity in a shorter time than for any other curve; the path of quickest descent
- branchial cleft — Zoology. one of a series of slitlike openings in the walls of the pharynx between the branchial arches of fishes and aquatic amphibians through which water passes from the pharynx to the exterior.
- branchial pouch — one of a series of rudimentary outcroppings of the inner pharyngeal wall, corresponding to the branchial grooves on the surface.
- branching rules — rules that are used to break down a complex problem into several smaller problems
- branchiostegous — branchiostegal.
- breach of faith — a violation of good faith, confidence, or trust; betrayal: To abandon your friends now would be a breach of faith.
- breathing space — A breathing space is a short period of time between two activities in which you can recover from the first activity and prepare for the second one.
- bristol channel — an inlet of the Atlantic, between S Wales and SW England, merging into the Severn estuary. Length: about 137 km (85 miles)
- british america — British North America.
- broca's aphasia — a type of aphasia caused by a lesion in Broca's area of the brain, characterized by misarticulated speech and lack of grammatical morphemes.