17-letter words containing a, s, k, i, c
- kick in the pants — a reprimand or scolding designed to produce greater effort, enthusiasm, etc, in the person receiving it
- lackadaisicalness — without interest, vigor, or determination; listless; lethargic: a lackadaisical attempt.
- lame-duck session — (formerly) the December to March session of those members of the U.S. Congress who were defeated for reelection the previous November.
- linking consonant — a consonant inserted between two vowels in speech
- make conversation — If you make conversation, you talk to someone in order to be polite and not because you really want to.
- mountain sickness — illness caused by being at high altitude
- nakhon ratchasima — a city in central Thailand.
- nicholas bourbaki — the pseudonym of a group of mainly French mathematicians that, since 1939, has been producing a monumental work on advanced mathematics, Eléments de Mathématique
- nikita khrushchev — Nikita S(ergeyevich) [ni-kee-tuh sur-gey-uh-vich;; Russian nyi-kyee-tuh syir-gye-yuh-vyich] /nɪˈki tə sɜrˈgeɪ ə vɪtʃ;; Russian nyɪˈkyi tə syɪrˈgyɛ yə vyɪtʃ/ (Show IPA), 1894–1971, Russian political leader: premier of the U.S.S.R. 1958–64.
- nikolaus von cusa — Nicholas (def 1).
- on the pig's back — successful; established
- otto von bismarck — Otto von [ot-oh von;; German aw-toh fuh n] /ˈɒt oʊ vɒn;; German ˈɔ toʊ fən/ (Show IPA), 1815–98, German statesman: first chancellor of modern German Empire 1871–90.
- particle kinetics — Particle kinetics is the study of the movement of particles and the forces that cause this movement.
- pinckney's treaty — an agreement in 1795 between Spain and the U.S. by which Spain recognized the 31st parallel as the southern boundary of the U.S. and permitted free navigation of the Mississippi to American ships.
- pocket battleship — a small heavily armed and armored warship serving as a battleship because of limitations imposed by treaty.
- positive feedback — Electronics. the process of returning part of the output of a circuit, system, or device to the input, either to oppose the input (negative feedback) or to aid the input (positive feedback) acoustic feedback.
- rack one's brains — to strain in mental effort, esp to remember something or to find the solution to a problem
- red-backed shrike — a common Eurasian shrike, Lanius collurio, the male of which has a grey crown and rump, brown wings and back, and a black-and-white face
- sacrifice paddock — a grassed area allowed to be grazed completely, to be cultivated and resown later
- securities market — the market in stocks, shares, bonds and other securities
- shoestring tackle — a tackle made around the ankles of the ball carrier.
- sickle cell trait — the usually asymptomatic hereditary condition that occurs when a person inherits from only one parent the abnormal hemoglobin gene characteristic of sickle cell anemia.
- silk manufacturer — a person or business that is involved in the manufacture of silk thread and fabric
- single-track road — a road that is only wide enough for one vehicle
- skate on thin ice — to place oneself in a dangerous or delicate situation
- social networking — the development of social and professional contacts; the sharing of information and services among people with a common interest.
- social notworking — the practice of spending time unproductively on social networking websites, esp when one should be working
- speak one's piece — a separate or limited portion or quantity of something: a piece of land; a piece of chocolate.
- spring cankerworm — the striped, green caterpillar of any of several geometrid moths: a foliage pest of various fruit and shade trees, as Paleacrita vernata (spring cankerworm) and Alsophila pometaria (fall cankerworm)
- stock certificate — a certificate evidencing ownership of one or more shares of stock in a corporation.
- sweating sickness — a febrile epidemic disease that appeared in the 15th and 16th centuries: characterized by profuse sweating and frequently fatal in a few hours.
- take into custody — to arrest
- that's the ticket — that is exactly what's needed
- the bag of tricks — every device; everything
- to strike a chord — If something strikes a chord with you, it makes you feel sympathy or enthusiasm.
- trucial sheikdoms — an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the S coast (formerly, Pirate Coast or Trucial Coast) of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. About 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Capital: Abu Dhabi. Abbreviation: U.A.E.
- unofficial strike — a strike that is not approved by the strikers' trade union
- working substance — a substance, usually a fluid, that undergoes changes in pressure, temperature, volume, or form as part of a process for accomplishing work.