17-letter words containing a, l, k
- planck's constant — the fundamental constant of quantum mechanics, expressing the ratio of the energy of one quantum of radiation to the frequency of the radiation and approximately equal to 6.624 × 10− 27 erg-seconds. Symbol: h.
- pocket battleship — a small heavily armed and armored warship serving as a battleship because of limitations imposed by treaty.
- pocket calculator — an electronic calculator small enough to be carried on one's person.
- quality paperback — a softbound book that is usually larger and more expensive than a mass market paperback and is sold primarily in bookstores as a trade book.
- radial keratotomy — a surgical technique for correcting nearsightedness by making a series of spokelike incisions in the cornea to change its shape and focusing properties.
- radio alarm clock — an alarm clock which consists of a radio that can be set to play at a particular time
- reading knowledge — the ability to read a language, but not speak it
- receiving blanket — a small blanket, usually of cotton, for wrapping an infant, especially following a bath.
- red and the black — a novel (1832) by Stendhal.
- republic of korea — a former country in E Asia, on a peninsula SE of Manchuria and between the Sea of Japan and the Yellow Sea: a kingdom prior to 1910; under Japanese rule 1910–45; now divided at 38° N into North Korea and South Korea. Compare Korean War.
- right-to-work law — a state law making it illegal to refuse employment to a person for the sole reason that he or she is not a union member.
- rock of gibraltar — a British crown colony comprising a fortress and seaport located on a narrow promontory near the S tip of Spain. 1.875 sq. mi. (5 sq. km).
- rom kernel manual — (publication) (RKM) A series of books or files for developers for the Amiga computer, containing information about the operating system kernel stored in ROM.
- rough-legged hawk — a large hawk, Buteo lagopus, of the Northern Hemisphere, that feeds chiefly on small rodents.
- second balkan war — Balkan War (def 2).
- self-acknowledged — widely recognized; generally accepted: an acknowledged authority on Chinese art.
- selkirk mountains — a mountain range in SW Canada, in SE British Columbia. Highest peak: Mount Sir Sandford, 3533 m (11 590 ft)
- shoestring tackle — a tackle made around the ankles of the ball carrier.
- shubra al khaymah — a city in NE Egypt, a Cairo suburb.
- sickle cell trait — the usually asymptomatic hereditary condition that occurs when a person inherits from only one parent the abnormal hemoglobin gene characteristic of sickle cell anemia.
- silk manufacturer — a person or business that is involved in the manufacture of silk thread and fabric
- single-track road — a road that is only wide enough for one vehicle
- smokeless tobacco — snuff1 (def 9).
- social networking — the development of social and professional contacts; the sharing of information and services among people with a common interest.
- social notworking — the practice of spending time unproductively on social networking websites, esp when one should be working
- south lanarkshire — a council area of S Scotland, comprising the S part of the historical county of Lanarkshire: included within Strathclyde Region from 1975 to 1996: has uplands in the S and part of the Glasgow conurbation in the N: mainly agricultural. Administrative centre: Hamilton. Pop: 303 010 (2003 est). Area: 1771 sq km (684 sq miles)
- split keyboarding — the act or practice of editing data from one terminal on another terminal
- squaw huckleberry — deerberry.
- stonewall jackson — Andrew ("Old Hickory") 1767–1845, U.S. general: 7th president of the U.S. 1829–37.
- strike-slip fault — a geological fault on which the movement is along the strike of the fault
- take a chill pill — something that has a calming or relaxing effect.
- take second place — If one thing takes second place to another, it is considered to be less important and is given less attention than the other thing.
- take the place of — replace, be a substitute for
- take to the floor — If you take to the floor, you start dancing at a dance or disco.
- take upon oneself — to take the responsibility for; accept as a charge
- telephone banking — a facility enabling customers to make use of banking services, such as oral payment instructions, account movements, raising loans, etc, over the telephone rather than by personal visit
- the black country — the formerly heavily industrialized region of central England, northwest of Birmingham
- the silken ladder — a one-act opera by Rossini, telling the story of Giulia, who is secretly married to Dorvil; he visits her bedroom every night by climbing up a ladder made of silk. Giulia's guardian, Dormont, expects her to marry Blansac, but she introduces Blansac to her cousin Lucilla; after much confusion, the two couples are joyfully united
- three-strikes law — a law that mandates a life sentence to a felon convicted for the third time.
- to beat the clock — If you beat the clock, you finish doing something or succeed in doing something before the time allowed for doing it has ended.
- to make sth clear — If you make something clear, you say something in a way that makes it impossible for there to be any doubt about your meaning, wishes, or intentions.
- trackless trolley — trolley bus.
- trouble came back — (jargon) (TCB) An IBM term for an intermittent or difficult-to-reproduce problem that has failed to respond to neglect or shotgun debugging. Compare heisenbug.
- trucial sheikdoms — an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the S coast (formerly, Pirate Coast or Trucial Coast) of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. About 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Capital: Abu Dhabi. Abbreviation: U.A.E.
- unofficial strike — a strike that is not approved by the strikers' trade union
- video disk player — a device that reads the information on a video disc
- walk a chalk line — to behave with strict propriety or obedience
- walk on eggshells — to be very cautious or diplomatic for fear of upsetting someone
- walk-in apartment — a ground-floor apartment having a private entrance directly from the street, rather than through a hallway of the building.
- well-acknowledged — widely recognized; generally accepted: an acknowledged authority on Chinese art.