26-letter words containing a, h, n, d, s

know a hawk from a handsaw — to be able to judge things; be discerning
law of diminishing returns — diminishing returns (def 2).
lead someone a merry chase — to cause someone trouble by luring into a vain pursuit
make (or be) friends with — to become (or be) a friend of
mongolian hordes technique — (programming, jargon) (Or "Chinese Army technique") Assigning a large number of inexperienced programmers to a job which would better performed by a few skilled ones. The term was first used by Dr. Fred Brooks in his book "The Mythical Man-Month", Chapter 3. According to Dr. Brooks, he had in mind the vision of the Mongol Hordes sweeping across Asia and Europe when he created the term.
monobasic sodium phosphate — Chemistry. sodium phosphate (def 1).
monochrome display adapter — (hardware, graphics) (MDA) One of IBM's earliest hardware video display standards for use in IBM PC. MDA can display only monochrome 80*25 text (IBM PC video mode 7). It is now obsolete.
not have a leg to stand on — either of the two lower limbs of a biped, as a human being, or any of the paired limbs of an animal, arthropod, etc., that support and move the body.
on demand: usu phr after v — If something is available or happens on demand, you can have it or it happens whenever you want it or ask for it.
on the straight and narrow — If something keeps people on the straight and narrow, it helps to keep them living an honest or healthy life.
or otherwise/and otherwise — You use or otherwise or and otherwise to mention something that is not the thing just referred to or is the opposite of that thing.
organophosphorus-compounds — Biochemistry. any of a variety of organic compounds that contain phosphorus and often have intense neurotoxic activity: originally developed as nerve gases, now widely used as insecticides and fire retardants.
plain old telephone system — Public Switched Telephone Network
postprandial thermogenesis — the rate at which food is broken down after a meal and used by your body
renderman shading language — ["The RenderMan Companion", S. Upstill, A-W 1989, chaps 13-15].
reticuloendothelial system — the aggregate of the phagocytic cells, including certain cells of the bone marrow, lymphatic system, liver, and spleen, that have reticular and endothelial characteristics and function in the immune system's defense against foreign bodies. Abbreviation: RES.
richardson ground squirrel — a ground squirrel, Citellus richardsoni, of sagebrush and grassland areas of the northwestern U.S. and adjacent regions in Canada.
round peg in a square hole — a person in a position, situation, etc. for which he or she is unsuited or unqualified
shielded metal arc welding — Shielded metal arc welding is a process in which a coated wire is melted to fill spaces between parts. The molten coating floats to the surface of the molten metal to protect it from the atmosphere.
square peg in a round hole — If you describe someone as a square peg in a round hole, you mean that they are in a situation or doing something that does not suit them at all.
stand in the way of sth/sb — If you stand in the way of something or stand in a person's way, you prevent that thing from happening or prevent that person from doing something.
state of the union address — an annual message to Congress in which the president reports on the state of the nation and outlines a legislative program: required by the Constitution (Article II, Section 3). Abbreviation: SOTU.
statistical-thermodynamics — the science that deals with average properties of the molecules, atoms, or elementary particles in random motion in a system of many such particles and relates these properties to the thermodynamic and other macroscopic properties of the system.
straight-line depreciation — Straight-line depreciation is a method of depreciation in which an equal amount of depreciation is taken each year.
take something for granted — If you take something for granted, you believe that it is true or accept it as normal without thinking about it.
take steps to do something — to undertake measures with a view to the attainment of some end
the battle lines are drawn — If you say that the battle lines are drawn between opposing groups or people, you mean that they are ready to start fighting or arguing, and that it has become clear what the main points of conflict or disagreement will be.
the entertainment industry — the businesses connected with music, films, TV etc
the inland revenue service — (in the US) a government board that administers and collects major direct taxes
three-dimensional printing — the creation of solid objects by building up multiple layers, each layer corresponding to a plan held in a digital file
to batten down the hatches — If someone battens down the hatches, they prepare themselves so that they will be able to survive a coming difficulty or crisis.
to be in the driver's seat — to be in a position of control
to catch hold of something — Hold is used in expressions such as grab hold of, catch hold of, and get hold of, to indicate that you close your hand tightly around something, for example to stop something moving or falling.
to hold someone for ransom — If a kidnapper is holding a person for ransom, they keep that person prisoner until they are given what they want.
to rub salt into the wound — If someone or something rubs salt into the wound, they make the unpleasant situation that you are in even worse, often by reminding you of your failures or faults.
to steal someone's thunder — If you steal someone's thunder, you get the attention or praise that they thought they would get, usually by saying or doing what they had intended to say or do.
turn something on its head — to treat or present something in a completely new and different way
two sides of the same coin — opposite but connected ideas
what someone is driving at — If you ask someone what they are driving at, you are asking what they are trying to say or what they are saying indirectly.
won't/wouldn't hear of sth — If you say that you won't hear of someone doing something, you mean that you refuse to let them do it.

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