17-letter words containing a, s, c
- aluminum silicate — any of a group of naturally occurring, water-insoluble substances, obtained from clay or synthesized, containing varying amounts of oxides of aluminum and silicon, Al 2 O 3 and Si 2 O 3 , and used in the manufacture of glass, ceramics, paints, printing inks, rubber, and plastics.
- amateur dramatics — theatrical performances by amateur players
- ambulance service — the public organization that operates ambulances in a country
- american chestnut — any of the several deciduous trees constituting the genus Castanea, of the beech family, having toothed, oblong leaves and bearing edible nuts enclosed in a prickly bur, and including C. dentata (American chestnut) which has been virtually destroyed by the chestnut blight, C. sativa (European chestnut) C. mollissima (Chinese chestnut) and C. crenata (Japanese chestnut)
- american dialects — regional or social varieties of spoken American English identified by differences in grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation: principal dialect areas are now generally distinguished as Northern, Midland, and Southern
- american flagfish — flagfish (def 1).
- american redstart — any of several small, Old World thrushes, usually with reddish-brown tails, especially Phoenicurus phoenicurus (European redstart)
- american wormseed — a plant with seeds used in medicine to treat worm infestation, Chenopodium ambrosioides
- american-flagfish — flagfish (def 1).
- amoebic dysentery — inflammation of the intestines caused by the parasitic amoeba Endamoeba histolytica
- anabolic steroids — a synthetic derivative of testosterone, sometimes used by athletes to help increase weight and strength.
- anachronistically — In an anachronistic manner; in the manner of an anachronism.
- analytical cubism — the early phase of cubism, chiefly characterized by a pronounced use of geometric shapes and by a tendency toward a monochromatic use of color.
- anchor escapement — an escapement in which wedge-shaped pallets engage with an escape wheel having pointed teeth, usually facing in the direction of revolution, so that the escape wheel recoils slightly at every release.
- ancienne noblesse — the ancient nobility, especially of the ancien régime.
- and that's a fact — You say and that's a fact to emphasize the truth or correctness of a statement that you have just made.
- anglo-catholicism — the tradition or form of worship in the Anglican Church that emphasizes Catholicity, the apostolic succession, and the continuity of all churches within the communion with pre-Reformation Christianity as well as the importance of liturgy and ritual.
- anomalistic month — the interval between two successive passages of the moon through perigee; 27.55455 days
- answering machine — An answering machine is the same as an answerphone.
- answering service — a business that answers telephone calls on behalf of another business or organization, taking messages from and providing information to callers
- anthracosilicosis — a form of pneumoconiosis occurring in miners, caused by the inhalation of coal and siliceous particles.
- anthroposemiotics — The study of human communication.
- anti-conservatism — the disposition to preserve or restore what is established and traditional and to limit change.
- anti-conservative — disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
- anti-metaphysical — pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics.
- anti-monopolistic — a person who has a monopoly.
- anticipatory loss — grief that is felt in anticipation of someone's death
- antimaterialistic — Opposing materialism.
- antimiscegenation — (US) against mixing or blending; especially, against the mixing or blending of races in marriage or breeding.
- antinationalistic — Opposing nationalism.
- api gravity scale — the American Petroleum Institute gravity scale: a universally accepted scale of the relative density of fluids that is used in fuel technology and is measured in degrees API. One degree API is equal to (141.5/d)–131.5, where d = relative density at 288.7K
- apostolic fathers — the Fathers of the early Church who immediately followed the Apostles
- archconservatives — Plural form of archconservative.
- archimedes' screw — an ancient type of water-lifting device making use of a spiral passage in an inclined cylinder. The water is raised when the spiral is rotated
- architect's table — a table having a surface consisting of a drawing board adjustable to various heights and angles.
- aristolochiaceous — belonging to the Aristolochiaceae, the birthwort family of plants.
- arithmetic-series — a sequence in which each term is obtained by the addition of a constant number to the preceding term, as 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 6, 1, −4, −9, −14.
- armaments factory — a factory for producing armaments
- armchair shopping — buying goods using a computer, telephone, or television in the home or via the postal system
- arresting officer — the police officer making an arrest
- arsenic disulfide — an orange-red, water-insoluble, poisonous powder, As 4 S 4 , As 2 S 2 , or AsS, used chiefly in the manufacture of fireworks.
- arsenic poisoning — poisoning by arsenic
- artificial person — a human being, whether an adult or child: The table seats four persons.
- artistic director — a person in charge of the artistic direction of a theatre company
- arunachal pradesh — a state in NE India, formed in 1986 from the former Union Territory. Capital: Itanagar. Pop: 1 091 117 (2001). Area: 83 743 sq km (32 648 sq miles)
- as the crow flies — If you say that a place is a particular distance away as the crow flies, you mean that it is that distance away measured in a straight line.
- ascend the throne — to become king or queen
- ascertained goods — specific goods
- ashby-de-la-zouch — a town in central England, in Leicestershire: Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned (1569) in the castle. Pop: 11 409 (2001)
- ask for the check — If you ask for the check, you ask the waitperson in a restaurant to bring you a piece of paper on which the price of your meal is written.