17-letter words containing a, s, t, i, f
- stannous fluoride — a white, crystalline powder, SnF 2 , slightly soluble in water: used as a source of fluorine in the prevention of dental caries, especially as a toothpaste additive.
- stare in the face — to gaze fixedly and intently, especially with the eyes wide open.
- statue of liberty — a large copper statue, on Liberty Island, in New York harbor, depicting a woman holding a burning torch: designed by F. A. Bartholdi and presented to the U.S. by France; unveiled 1886.
- stay of execution — If you are given a stay of execution, you are legally allowed to delay obeying an order of a court of law.
- stock certificate — a certificate evidencing ownership of one or more shares of stock in a corporation.
- straight arm lift — a wrestling attack, in which a wrestler twists the opponent's arm against the joint and lifts him or her by it, often using the shoulder as a fulcrum
- strait of otranto — a stretch of water between SE Italy and Albania, connecting the Adriatic Sea with the Ionian Sea; of strategic importance during World War I
- stratified sample — a sample that is not drawn at random from the whole population, but separately from a number of disjoint strata of the population in order to ensure a more representative sample
- strike-slip fault — a geological fault on which the movement is along the strike of the fault
- suffice it to say — Suffice it to say or suffice to say is used at the beginning of a statement to indicate that what you are saying is obvious, or that you will only give a short explanation.
- sufficient reason — the principle that nothing happens by pure chance, but that an explanation must always be available
- sustentation fund — a fund, esp in the Church of Scotland, to augment the support of ministers
- teaching software — computer software for use in providing online education
- temple of artemis — the temple at Ephesus dedicated to Artemis.
- the bag of tricks — every device; everything
- the carboniferous — the Carboniferous period or rock system
- the facts of life — the details of sexual behaviour and reproduction, esp as told to children
- the final whistle — a blast on a referee's whistle to indicate that a game is over
- the life and soul — a person regarded as the main source of merriment and liveliness
- the south pacific — the part of the Pacific Ocean to the south of the equator
- thermal diffusion — the separation of constituents, often isotopes, of a fluid under the influence of a temperature gradient.
- thiosulfuric acid — an acid, H 2 S 2 O 3 , that may be regarded as sulfuric acid with one oxygen atom replaced by sulfur.
- thuringian forest — a forested mountain region in central Germany: a resort area.
- to raise the roof — If a group of people inside a building raise the roof, they make a very loud noise, for example by singing or shouting.
- to say nothing of — You use to say nothing of when you mention an additional thing which gives even more strength to the point you are making.
- traffic diversion — a special route arranged for traffic to follow when the normal route cannot be used
- transfer function — The transfer function of a circuit is the ratio of the response to the input.
- transformationist — transformist.
- transignification — (in the Eucharist) a change in the significance of the bread and wine to symbolize the body and blood of Christ.
- uniformitarianism — supporting, conforming to, or derived from a theory or doctrine about uniformity, especially on the subject of geology.
- unofficial strike — a strike that is not approved by the strikers' trade union
- utmost good faith — a principle used in insurance contracts, legally obliging all parties to reveal to the others any information that might influence the others' decision to enter into the contract
- veiltail goldfish — an artificially bred, indoor variety of goldfish, usually golden or calico and of a spheroid shape, having a fully divided, drooping tail fin exceeding the body in length.
- ventilation shaft — a shaft in a mine, tunnel, or building used for providing ventilation or fresh air
- wallis and futuna — French overseas territory in the South Pacific, northeast of the Fiji Islands: it consists of two groups of islands (Wallis Islands and Futuna Islands): c. 106 sq mi (275 sq km); pop. 14,000
- wedding breakfast — meal served at wedding reception