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19-letter words containing a, l, n, c

  • differential backup — (operating system)   A kind of backup that copies all files that have changed since the last full backup. Each differential backup will include all files in previous differential backups since the full backup so to restore a version of a file, you only need to search the full backup and the relevant differential backup. Some systems support differential backup by associating an "Archive" flag with each file and setting this flag whenever the file is modified to indicate that it should be included in the next backup. A differential backup does not change this flag, whereas an incremental backup resets it.
  • digital electronics — (electronics)   The implementation of two-valued logic using electronic logic gates such as and gates, or gates and flip-flops. In such circuits the logical values true and false are represented by two different voltages, e.g. 0V for false and +5V for true. Similarly, numbers are normally represented in binary using two different voltages to represented zero and one. Digital electronics contrasts with analogue electronics which represents continuously varying quantities like sound pressure using continuously varying voltages. Digital electronics is the foundation of modern computers and digital communications. Massively complex digital logic circuits with millions of gates can now be built onto a single integrated circuit such as a microprocessor and these circuits can perform millions of operations per second.
  • diplomatic immunity — exemption from taxation, searches, arrest, etc., enjoyed by diplomatic officials and their dependent families under international law, and usually on a reciprocal basis.
  • direct grant school — (in Britain, formerly) a school financed by endowment, fees, and a state grant conditional upon admittance of a percentage of nonpaying pupils nominated by the local education authority
  • directional coupler — (communications)   (tap) A passive device used in cable systems to divide and combine radio frequency signals. A directional coupler has at least three ports: line in, line out, and the tap. The signal passes between line in and line out ports with loss referred to as the insertion loss. A small portion of the signal power applied to the line in port passes to the tap port. A signal applied to the tap port is passed to the line in port less the tap attenuation value. The tap signals are isolated from the line out port to prevent reflections. A signal applied to the line out port passes to the line in port and is isolated from the tap port. Some devices provide more than one tap output line (multi-taps).
  • disciplinary action — punishment or caution
  • displacement engine — any engine employing the rectilinear motion of one or more pistons in cylinders.
  • distillation column — a type of still fitted with interior baffles, used for fractional distillation. Compare still2 (def 1).
  • dobsonian telescope — a relatively inexpensive Newtonian telescope, suitable for visual but not photographic use, in which the tube assembly slips freely in the lower base.
  • draw the color line — to impose or accept the color line
  • duplicating machine — a duplicator, especially one for making identical copies of documents, letters, etc.
  • dynamic translation — (architecture)   A virtual machine implementation approach, used to speed up execution of byte-code programs. To execute a program unit such as a method or a function, the virtual machine compiles its bytecodes into (hardware) machine code. The translated code is also placed in a cache, so that next time that unit's machine code can be executed immediately, without repeating the translation. This technique was pioneered by the commercial Smalltalk implementation currently known as VisualWorks, in the early 1980s. Currently it is also used by some implementations of the Java Virtual Machine under the name JIT (Just In Time compilation).
  • dynatron oscillator — type of oscillator
  • eastern coral snake — any of numerous venomous elapid snakes, found chiefly in the New World tropics, as Micrurus fulvius (eastern coral snake) of the southeastern U.S., often brilliantly marked with bands of red, yellow, and black.
  • eat someone's lunch — to take into the mouth and swallow for nourishment; chew and swallow (food).
  • echoencephalography — a device that employs reflected ultrasonic waves to examine the position of brain structures.
  • ecumenical movement — See under ecumenical (def 4).
  • educational adviser — a person who provides advice and training to teachers about teaching methods and educational policies
  • effervescent tablet — Effervescent tablets break down quickly when they are dropped into water or another liquid.
  • eilean donan castle — a castle near the Kyle of Lochalsh in Highland, Scotland: built in the 13th century; famous for its picturesque setting
  • elastic deformation — In elastic deformation a material changes shape when a stress is applied to it but goes back to its original state when the stress is removed.
  • electrical engineer — An electrical engineer is a person who uses scientific knowledge to design, construct, and maintain electrical devices.
  • electro-shock baton — a baton used as a weapon to pass an electric current through part of the body
  • electrode potential — the potential difference developed when an electrode of an element is placed in a solution containing ions of that element
  • electrodynamometers — Plural form of electrodynamometer.
  • electrohydrodynamic — (physics) Of or pertaining to electrohydrodynamics.
  • electromagnetically — By means of electromagnetism.
  • electromechanically — In an electromechanical way.
  • electron micrograph — a photograph or image of a specimen taken using an electron microscope
  • electronegativities — Plural form of electronegativity.
  • electronic graphics — (on television) the production of graphic designs and text by electronic means
  • electronic keyboard — a typewriter keyboard used to operate an electronic device such as a computer, word processor, etc
  • electronic magazine — (messaging, publication, web)   (e-zine) A regular publication on some particular topic distributed in digital form, chiefly now via the web but also by electronic mail or floppy disk. E-zines are often distributed for free by enthusiasts.
  • electrostatic units — the system of CGS electric and magnetic units that assigns the value of one to the dielectric constant of a vacuum
  • elementary particle — any of several entities, such as electrons, neutrons, or protons, that are less complex than atoms and are regarded as the constituents of all matter
  • elevator controller — An archetypal dumb embedded-systems application, like toaster (which superseded it). During one period (1983--84) in the deliberations of ANSI X3J11 (the C standardisation committee) this was the canonical example of a really stupid, memory-limited computation environment. "You can't require "printf(3)" to be part of the default run-time library - what if you're targeting an elevator controller?" Elevator controllers became important rhetorical weapons on both sides of several holy wars.
  • emotional blackmail — a way of persuading someone to do something they do not want to do by making them feel guilty about it
  • enabling technology — technology that enables the user to perform a task or to improve his or her overall performance: e.g. the internet
  • entry qualification — the qualifications and conditions required to join an organization, club, etc
  • euclidean algorithm — Euclid's Algorithm
  • evaporative cooling — a method of reducing temperature that uses evaporation
  • exhibitionistically — In an exhibitionistic manner.
  • expressionistically — In an expressionistic manner.
  • fallacy of division — the fallacy of inferring that a property of the whole is also a property of parts or members of the whole (opposed to fallacy of composition).
  • false consciousness — a Marxist theory that people are unable to see things, especially exploitation, oppression, and social relations, as they really are; the hypothesized inability of the human mind to develop a sophisticated awareness of how it is developed and shaped by circumstances.
  • family practitioner — medical specialization in general practice, requiring training beyond that of general practice and leading to board certification.
  • fellow countrywoman — a fellow countrywoman is a female citizen of the same state as the person speaking, writing, or being referred to
  • female circumcision — clitoridectomy.
  • financial ombudsman — any of five British ombudsmen: the Banking Ombudsman, set up in 1986 to investigate complaints from bank customers; the Building Society Ombudsman, set up in 1987 to investigate complaints from building society customers; the Insurance Ombudsman, set up in 1981 to investigate complaints by policyholders (since 1988 this ombudsman has also operated a Unit Trust Ombudsman scheme); the Investment Ombudsman set up in 1989 to investigate complaints by investors (the Personal Investment Authority Ombudsman is responsible for investigating complaints by personal investors); and the Pensions Ombudsman, set up in 1993 to investigate complaints regarding pension schemes
  • financial statement — a document that records the financial activities and state of an organization or person
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