14-letter words containing a, r
- drag-parachute — Also called drogue. a small parachute that deploys first in order to pull a larger parachute from its pack.
- dragging piece — (in a hipped roof) a short beam holding the foot of a hip rafter to counteract its thrust.
- draggle-tailed — untidy; bedraggled; slovenly.
- dragline crane — an excavating crane having a bucket that is dropped from a boom and dragged toward the crane base by a cable.
- dragon's blood — a deep-red, water-insoluble resin exuding from the fruit of a palm, Daemonorops draco, of the Malay Archipelago, used chiefly in the preparation of varnishes and in photoengraving for protecting certain areas of the metal plate from the acid.
- dragon's mouth — arethusa (def 1).
- dragon's teeth — conical or wedge-shaped concrete antitank obstacles protruding from the ground in rows: used in World War II
- drainage basin — the area drained by a river and all its tributaries. Also called catchment area, drainage area. Compare watershed (def 2).
- drainage ditch — a ditch that excess water drains into
- drainage holes — the holes in a plant pot that allow excess water to drain away
- draining board — The draining board is the place on a sink unit where things such as cups, plates, and cutlery are put to drain after they have been washed.
- draining spoon — a spoon with holes in it
- dramatic irony — irony that is inherent in speeches or a situation of a drama and is understood by the audience but not grasped by the characters in the play.
- dramatisations — Plural form of dramatisation.
- dramatizations — Plural form of dramatization.
- draughts board — A draughts board is a square board for playing draughts, with 64 equal-sized, black and white squares.
- draughtsperson — Alternative spelling of draftsperson.
- draw a bead on — a small, usually round object of glass, wood, stone, or the like with a hole through it, often strung with others of its kind in necklaces, rosaries, etc.
- draw a pension — If you draw a pension, you receive money from an insurer or the state because you have reached a particular age.
- draw a picture — represent sth visually
- draw the crabs — to attract unwelcome attention
- draw-out table — draw table.
- draw-top table — a table that can be extended by sliding one or more additional leaves into place
- drawing chisel — an obliquely edged wood chisel for working across grain, as in forming the ends of tenons.
- drawing office — an office where drawings are made
- dread to think — If you say that you dread to think what might happen, you mean that you are anxious about it because it is likely to be very unpleasant.
- dream analysis — the analysis of dreams as a means of gaining access to the unconscious mind, typically involving free association.
- dream merchant — a person, as a moviemaker or advertiser, who panders to or seeks to develop the public's craving for luxury, romance, or escapism.
- drepanocytosis — Sickle-cell anemia.
- dress-down day — a day on which employees are allowed to wear informal clothing
- dressing glass — a small, adjustable mirror designed to stand on a dressing table.
- dressing table — a table or stand, usually surmounted by a mirror, in front of which a person sits while dressing, applying makeup, etc.
- driftless area — a tract of land that was once surrounded but never covered by a continental glacier, consequently having no glacial deposits.
- drill sergeant — military officer who drills recruits
- drinking straw — thin plastic tube for sucking up liquids
- drinking water — water that is safe to drink
- drinks cabinet — a cocktail cabinet
- driving barrel — (in a weight-driven clock) the drum turned by the descent of the weight, which drives the clock mechanism.
- drone aircraft — a pilotless radio-controlled aircraft used for reconnaissance or bombing
- drop a clanger — If you say that you have dropped a clanger, you mean that you have done or said something stupid or embarrassing.
- drop an f-bomb — to use the word fuck in a situation where it will cause great offence
- drop-dead date — an absolute deadline that cannot be missed
- drophead coupé — two-door car with a folding roof and sloping back
- drowned valley — a valley that, having been flooded by the sea, now exists as a bay or estuary.
- drug addiction — dependence on a chemical substance
- drum majorette — a girl or woman who leads a marching band or drum corps.
- drunk dialling — the practice of making a phone call while drunk, esp to someone about whom one has romantic notions
- dry-stone wall — A dry-stone wall is a wall that has been built by fitting stones together without using any cement.
- dual ownership — the state of owning something jointly with someone else
- duarte fuentes — José Napoleón [haw-se nah-paw-le-awn] /hɔˈsɛ nɑ pɔ lɛˈɔn/ (Show IPA), 1926–90, Salvadoran political leader: president 1980–82, 1984–89.