17-letter words containing a, t, r, e, u

the popular press — cheap newspapers with a mass circulation; the tabloid press
the rann of kutch — an extensive salt waste in W central India, and S Pakistan: consists of the Great Rann in the north and the Little Rann in the southeast; seasonal alternation between marsh and desert; some saltworks. In 1968 an international tribunal awarded about 10 per cent of the border area to Pakistan. Area: 23 000 sq km (9000 sq miles)
the unwritten law — the tradition that a person may avenge any insult to family integrity, as used to justify criminal acts of vengeance
therapeutic index — the ratio between the dosage of a drug that causes a lethal effect and the dosage that causes a therapeutic effect.
therapeutic touch — the laying on of hands by a healer
thermal diffusion — the separation of constituents, often isotopes, of a fluid under the influence of a temperature gradient.
thermal pollution — a rise in the temperature of rivers or lakes that is injurious to water-dwelling life and is caused by the disposal of heated industrial waste water or water from the cooling towers of nuclear power plants.
thermal underwear — underwear designed to retain body heat in cold temperatures.
thermocoagulation — the coagulation of tissue by heat-producing high-frequency electric currents, used therapeutically to remove small growths or to create specific lesions in the brain.
thread escutcheon — a raised metal rim around a keyhole.
thread-legged bug — any of certain insects of the family Reduviidae, characterized by an elongated, slender body and long frail legs, the front pair of which are raptorial.
three-course meal — A three-course meal is a meal that consists of three parts served one after the other.
thuringian forest — a forested mountain region in central Germany: a resort area.
to argue the toss — If you say that someone argues the toss, you are criticizing them for continuing to argue for longer than is necessary about something that is not very important.
to drag your feet — If you drag your feet or drag your heels, you delay doing something or do it very slowly because you do not want to do it.
to feel your oats — to feel exuberant or high-spirited
to keep your head — If you keep your head, you remain calm in a difficult situation. If you lose your head, you panic or do not remain calm in a difficult situation.
to show your face — If you show your face somewhere, you go there and see people, although you are not welcome, are rather unwilling to go, or have not been there for some time.
to take your time — If you take your time doing something, you do it quite slowly and do not hurry.
tolpuddle martyrs — six farm workers sentenced to transportation for seven years in 1834 for administering an unlawful oath to form a trade union in the village of Tolpuddle, Dorset
tongue-and-groove — the technique of making a joint between two boards by means of a tongue along the edge of one board that fits into a groove along the edge of the other board
torricellian tube — a vertical glass tube partly evacuated and partly filled with mercury, the height of which is used as a measure of atmospheric pressure
touch a raw nerve — If you say that you have touched a nerve or touched a raw nerve, you mean that you have accidentally upset someone by talking about something that they feel strongly about or are very sensitive about.
trailing geranium — an ivy-leaved variety of geranium, Pelargonium peltatum
transfer function — The transfer function of a circuit is the ratio of the response to the input.
trouble came back — (jargon) (TCB) An IBM term for an intermittent or difficult-to-reproduce problem that has failed to respond to neglect or shotgun debugging. Compare heisenbug.
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.
tubercle bacillus — the bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causing tuberculosis.
turbosupercharger — (formerly) a turbocharger.
turn on the charm — If someone turns on the charm, they behave in a way that seems very friendly but which you think is insincere, often in order to obtain something or deceive someone.
ultimate strength — the quantity of the utmost tensile, compressive, or shearing stress that a given unit area of a certain material is expected to bear without failing.
ultraconservative — extremely conservative, especially in politics.
ultrametamorphism — metamorphism during which the temperature of a rock exceeds its melting point.
ultramicrobalance — a balance for weighing precisely, to a hundredth of a microgram or less, minute quantities of material.
uncomfortableness — causing discomfort or distress; painful; irritating.
uncooperativeness — working or acting together willingly for a common purpose or benefit.
under the weather — the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.
undercompensation — to compensate or pay less than is fair, customary, or expected.
understandability — capable of being understood; comprehensible.
undulatory theory — wave theory (def 1).
unemployment rate — percentage of population without jobs
unofficial strike — a strike that is not approved by the strikers' trade union
unpredictableness — not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold: an unpredictable occurrence.
unproportionately — proportioned; being in due proportion; proportional.
up/raise the ante — If you up the ante or raise the ante, you increase your demands when you are in dispute or fighting for something.
upper paleolithic — See under Paleolithic.
urban development — the development or improvement of an urban area by building
urban exploration — a recreational activity in which people explore derelict urban structures such as abandoned sewers or underground railways or attempt to access areas which are closed to the public such as the roofs of skyscrapers
urogenital system — the urinary tract and reproductive organs
vacuum extraction — applying suction to a baby's head during birth to help it emerge

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