14-letter words containing a, l, n
- aeroplane rule — (convention) "Complexity increases the possibility of failure; a twin-engine aeroplane has twice as many engine problems as a single-engine aeroplane." By analogy, in both software and electronics, the implication is that simplicity increases robustness and that the right way to build reliable systems is to put all your eggs in one basket, after making sure that you've built a really *good* basket. While simplicity is a useful design goal, and twin-engine aeroplanes do have twice as many engine problems, the analogy is almost entirely bogus. Commercial passenger aircraft are required to have at least two engines (on different wings or nacelles) so that the aeroplane can land safely if one engine fails. As Albert Einstein said, "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler". See also KISS Principle.
- aeroplane spin — a wrestling attack in which a wrestler lifts his opponent onto his shoulders and spins around, leaving the opponent dizzy
- aerosolisation — The process by which a material, usually a solid or liquid, is dispersed into an aerosol form.
- aerosolization — the production or dispersal of an aerosol
- affectionately — showing, indicating, or characterized by affection or love; fondly tender: an affectionate embrace.
- affectlessness — the inability to have or show emotion or feeling
- african millet — a grass, Eleusine coracana, of Asia and Africa, having round fruit with a loose husk, grown as a cereal and as an ornamental.
- african violet — any of several tropical African plants of the genus Saintpaulia, esp S. ionantha, cultivated as house plants, with violet, white, or pink flowers and hairy leaves: family Gesneriaceae
- agaric mineral — rock milk.
- agglomerations — Plural form of agglomeration.
- agnes de mille — Agnes (George) 1908–93, U.S. choreographer and dancer (niece of Cecil B. De Mille).
- agroindustrial — of or relating to agroindustry
- agrotechnology — the technology of agriculture, as the methods or machinery needed for efficient production.
- aguascalientes — a state in central Mexico. Pop: 943 506 (2000). Area: 5471 sq km (2112 sq miles)
- ailanthus moth — a large moth (Philosamia cynthia) native to E Asia and now established in the E U.S., whose larvae (ailanthus silkworms) feed on ailanthus leaves and produce an inferior silk in making their cocoons
- air cavalryman — a soldier assigned to the air cavalry.
- air controller — a military person assigned to monitor, manage, etc. aircraft within a specified region
- air equivalent — a measure of the effectiveness of a material in absorbing nuclear radiation, expressed as the thickness of an air layer (at 0° C and 1 atmosphere) causing the same absorption.
- airborne alert — a state of military alert wherein combat-equipped aircraft are flying and prepared for action.
- airman's medal — a U.S. Air Force award for heroism, not involving combat, available to any member of the U.S. or friendly armed forces serving with the USAF.
- airplane cloth — a strong, plain-weave cloth of linen or cotton, originally used for airplane wings
- airport lounge — an area in an airport which has seats, and sometimes other services such as toilets and refreshments, and where passengers wait for their plane
- aladdin's cave — a place containing fabulous riches
- alai mountains — mountain range in S Kyrgyzstan: highest peak, c. 19,500 ft (5,944 m)
- alain-fournier — real name Henri-Alban Fournier. 1886–1914, French novelist; author of Le Grand Meaulnes (1913; translated as The Lost Domain, 1959)
- alan m. turing — Alan Turing
- alarm reaction — the first stage of the general adaptation syndrome, in which the body responds to stress by exhibiting shock.
- alaska current — an ocean current flowing counterclockwise in the Gulf of Alaska.
- album-oriented — of or designating a format featuring rock songs from LPs and CDs rather than singles, especially mainstream rock music.
- albumenization — An alternative form of albuminization.
- albuminization — A conversion into albumin.
- albury-wodonga — a town in SE Australia, in S central New South Wales, on the Murray River: commercial centre of an agricultural region. Pop: 69 880 (2001)
- alcmanic verse — a form of verse used in Greek drama and Latin dramatic poetry, composed in dactylic tetrameter.
- aldus manutius — 1450–1515, Italian printer, noted for his fine editions of the classics. He introduced italic type
- aleurone layer — the outer protein-rich layer of certain seeds, esp of cereal grains
- aleutian range — a mountain range extending along the eastern coast of the Alaska Peninsula. Highest peak, Mt. Katmai, 6715 feet (2047 meters).
- alexander city — a city in E Alabama.
- alexander viii — (Pietro Ottoboni) 1610–91, Italian ecclesiastic: pope 1689–91.
- alexipharmakon — an antidote to poison
- alfred t mahan — Alfred Thayer [they-er] /ˈθeɪ ər/ (Show IPA), 1840–1914, U.S. naval officer and writer on naval history.
- alfred wegener — Alfred Lothar [ahl-freyt loh-tahr,, loh-tahr] /ˈɑl freɪt ˈloʊ tɑr,, loʊˈtɑr/ (Show IPA), 1880–1930, German meteorologist and geophysicist: originated theory of continental drift.
- algonquin park — a provincial park in S Canada, in E Ontario, containing over 1200 lakes. Area: 7100 sq km (2741 sq miles)
- alieni generis — of another kind.
- aligning punch — a drift for aligning rivet holes.
- alimentiveness — the desire to eat, or the instinct to find, food
- alive and well — If you say that someone or something is alive and well, you are emphasizing that they continue to survive.
- alkaline earth — any of the divalent electropositive metals beryllium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, and radium, belonging to group 2A of the periodic table
- alkalinization — the process of becoming alkaline, or making alkaline
- all and sundry — All and sundry means everyone.
- all or nothing — You can use all or nothing to say that either something must be done fully and completely or else it cannot be done at all.