15-letter words containing a, e, g, n
- sound deadening — a process or material that reduces the resonance or volume of sound
- source language — the language in which a text appears that is to be translated into another language. Compare target language (def 1).
- spark generator — an alternating-current power source with a condenser discharging across a spark gap.
- sparkling water — soda water (def 1).
- speaking as sth — You can say 'speaking as a parent' or 'speaking as a teacher', for example, to indicate that the opinion you are giving is based on your experience as a parent or as a teacher.
- speaking of sth — You can say speaking of something that has just been mentioned as a way of introducing a new topic which has some connection with that thing.
- speech training — training designed to improve spoken skills, such as voice projection
- spermatogenesis — the origin and development of spermatozoa.
- spherical angle — an angle formed by arcs of great circles of a sphere.
- sporting chance — an even or fair opportunity for a favorable outcome in an enterprise, as winning in a game of chance or in any kind of contest: They gave the less experienced players a sporting chance by handicapping the experts.
- spread sampling — the selection of a corpus for statistical analysis by selecting a number of short passages at random throughout the work and considering their aggregation
- spring mattress — a mattress containing an arrangement of spiral springs
- spring-cleaning — a complete cleaning of a place, as a home, done traditionally in the spring of the year.
- stacking swivel — a metal swivel attached to the stock of a military rifle for use in hooking three rifles together to form a stack.
- stage direction — an instruction written into the script of a play, indicating stage actions, movements of performers, or production requirements.
- standing charge — fixed energy costs
- standing orders — Military. (formerly) a general order always in force in a command and establishing uniform procedures for it; standard operating procedure.
- start something — to cause a disturbance or trouble
- starting handle — a crank used to start the motor of an automobile.
- steam generator — steam-producing power plant
- steam reforming — a process in which methane from natural gas is heated, with steam, usually with a catalyst, to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen used in organic synthesis and as a fuel
- steamed pudding — a traditional pudding containing fat, sugar, eggs, flour, and other ingredients, which is steamed
- steel engraving — a method of incising letters, designs, etc., on steel.
- step on the gas — accelerate, drive faster
- stephen hawking — Stephen William, born 1942, English mathematician and theoretical physicist.
- straining piece — (in a queen-post roof) a horizontal beam uniting the tops of the two queen posts, and resisting the thrust of the roof.
- stranger danger — the potential or perceived risk posed by unknown people to children and about which it may be advisable to warn them
- string variable — data on which arithmetical operations will not be performed
- structural gene — cistron.
- sub-machine gun — a lightweight automatic or semiautomatic gun, fired from the shoulder or hip.
- subject heading — a title or heading of a category, esp in a bibliography or index
- subject-raising — a rule that moves the subject of a complement clause into the clause in which it is embedded, as in the derivation of He is likely to be late from It is likely that he will be late
- subminimum wage — See example at subminimum (def 1).
- sugarcane borer — the larva of the pyralid moth, Diatraea saccharalis, a serious pest of sugarcane, corn, rice, and sorghums.
- sulfiting agent — sulfite (def 2).
- summer triangle — a group of three first-magnitude stars (Deneb, Vega, and Altair) visible during the summer in the N skies
- supergiant star — Astronomy. an exceptionally luminous star whose diameter is more than 100 times that of the sun, as Betelgeuse or Antares.
- surgeon general — the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.
- surgical needle — a needle for suturing.
- swallow-tanager — a tropical American bird, Tersina viridis, related to the true tanagers but with longer, swallowlike wings.
- sweating system — the practice of employing workers in sweatshops.
- synergistically — pertaining to, characteristic of, or resembling synergy: a synergistic effect.
- syngeneic graft — a tissue or organ transplanted from one member of a species to another, genetically identical member of the species, as a kidney transplanted from one identical twin to the other.
- syntax language — a metalanguage used to refer to the grammatical or other formal features of an object language.
- take down a peg — to lower the pride or conceit of; humble or dispirit
- take lying down — to be in a horizontal, recumbent, or prostrate position, as on a bed or the ground; recline. Antonyms: stand.
- take the plunge — to cast or thrust forcibly or suddenly into something, as a liquid, a penetrable substance, a place, etc.; immerse; submerge: to plunge a dagger into one's heart.
- talking machine — Older Use. a phonograph.
- talking picture — Older Use. a motion picture with accompanying synchronized speech, singing, etc.
- tangible assets — valuable items: cash, property, etc.