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15-letter words containing a, n, u, l, r, s

  • slumpflationary — of or relating to slumpflation
  • snafu principle — /sna'foo prin'si-pl/ [WWII Army acronym for "Situation Normal: All Fucked Up"] "True communication is possible only between equals, because inferiors are more consistently rewarded for telling their superiors pleasant lies than for telling the truth." - a central tenet of Discordianism, often invoked by hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and systematically. The effect of the SNAFU principle is a progressive disconnection of decision-makers from reality. This lightly adapted version of a fable dating back to the early 1960s illustrates the phenomenon perfectly: In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification; And the plan was without form, and the specification was void. And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof; And they spake unto their leader, saying: "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer." And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader: "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof." And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying: "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it." The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus: "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength." The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying: "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong." And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President. "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful." The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed: "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!" And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good. After the subsequent disaster, the suits protect themselves by saying "I was misinformed!", and the implementors are demoted or fired.
  • snapping turtle — either of two large, edible, freshwater turtles of the family Chelydridae, of North and Central America, having a large head and powerful hooked jaws, especially the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina.
  • source language — the language in which a text appears that is to be translated into another language. Compare target language (def 1).
  • south glamorgan — a county in SE Wales. 161 sq. mi. (416 sq. km).
  • splanchnopleure — the double layer formed by the association of the lower layer of the lateral plate of mesoderm with the underlying entoderm, which develops into the embryonic viscera.
  • squadron leader — air-force officer
  • standard clause — a clause which is inserted as standard into certain types of contracts or agreements
  • structural gene — cistron.
  • structural iron — iron shaped for use in construction.
  • sublapsarianism — infralapsarianism.
  • subprofessional — being below professional standards: subprofessional health care.
  • sulphinpyrazone — a uricosuric drug with molecular formula C23H20N2O3S, used in the treatment of chronic gout
  • summer triangle — a group of three first-magnitude stars (Deneb, Vega, and Altair) visible during the summer in the N skies
  • sunflower state — Kansas (used as a nickname).
  • superabundantly — very or too abundantly
  • superexaltation — extreme or supreme exaltation; the act of superexalting; the process or condition of being superexalted
  • superficialness — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
  • superindividual — greater than the individual
  • superior planet — any of the five planets whose orbits are outside the orbit of the earth, namely, the planets Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
  • supernaturalism — supernatural character or agency.
  • supernaturalist — supernatural character or agency.
  • supernaturality — the quality or state of being supernatural; supernaturalism.
  • supernaturalize — to make supernatural; give supernatural character or qualities to.
  • surgeon general — the chief of medical services in one of the armed forces.
  • surgical needle — a needle for suturing.
  • surrender value — cash value.
  • sylvian fissure — lateral fissure.
  • tailor's bunion — a bunionlike enlargement of the joint of the little toe, usually caused by pressure from tight shoes.
  • tentaculiferous — having tentacles
  • tequila sunrise — a cocktail, usually consisting of tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. The ingredients have different densities and settle into bands of colour that resemble the sky at sunrise
  • thursday island — an island in Torres Strait between NE Australia and New Guinea; part of Queensland: pearl fishing. 1½ sq. mi. (4 sq. km).
  • title insurance — insurance protecting the owner or mortgagee of real estate from lawsuits or claims arising from a defective title.
  • transequatorial — of, relating to, or near an equator, especially the equator of the earth.
  • transfer lounge — the place in an airport where you wait for a transfer from one flight to another
  • transform fault — a strike-slip fault that offsets a mid-ocean ridge in opposing directions on either side of an axis of seafloor spreading.
  • transilluminate — to cause light to pass through.
  • transindividual — a single human being, as distinguished from a group.
  • transubstantial — to change from one substance into another; transmute.
  • treasure island — (italics) a novel (1883) by R. L. Stevenson.
  • turn the scales — to determine or decide something uncertain
  • turn the tables — an article of furniture consisting of a flat, slablike top supported on one or more legs or other supports: a kitchen table; an operating table; a pool table.
  • ultra-masculine — pertaining to or characteristic of a man or men: masculine attire.
  • ultra-modernist — very advanced in ideas, design, or techniques.
  • ultrasonography — a diagnostic imaging technique utilizing reflected high-frequency sound waves to delineate, measure, or examine internal body structures or organs.
  • ultrasound scan — sonograph examination
  • ulysses s grant — Cary (Archibald Leach) 1904–86, U.S. actor, born in England.
  • un-considerable — rather large or great in size, distance, extent, etc.: It cost a considerable amount. We took a considerable length of time to decide.
  • unadventurously — in an unadventurous manner
  • unanswerability — the quality of not being answerable or contestable
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