12-letter words containing a, w, e, i
- self-drawing — the act of a person or thing that draws.
- semantic web — an extension of the World Wide Web in which data is structured and XML-tagged on the basis of its meaning or content, so that computers can process and integrate the information without human intervention: the semantic Web acting as a global database or huge brain.
- servicewoman — a woman who is a member of the armed forces of a country.
- sewing table — a worktable for holding sewing materials, often supplied with a bag or pouch for needlework.
- shadow price — the calculated price of a good or service for which no market price exists
- sharp-witted — having or showing mental acuity; intellectually discerning; acute.
- shirtwaister — a tailored blouse or shirt worn by women.
- siamese twin — (not in technical use) conjoined twin.
- signal tower — a tower from which railway signals are controlled or displayed
- sir lawrence — Sir Lawrence Alma-, Alma-Tadema, Sir Lawrence.
- sleepwalking — an act of sleepwalking; somnambulation.
- space writer — a journalist or copywriter paid according to a space rate. Also called space man. Compare stringer (def 6).
- spring water — water from natural underground source
- static water — water collected and stored in reservoirs, tanks, etc., as for urban use.
- stellar wind — the radial outflow of ionized gas from a star.
- stonewalling — the act of stalling, evading, or filibustering, especially to avoid revealing politically embarrassing information.
- sunshine law — a law requiring a government agency to open its official meetings and records to the general public.
- superhighway — a highway designed for travel at high speeds, having more than one lane for each direction of traffic, a safety strip dividing the two directions, and cloverleaves to route the traffic on and off the highway. Compare expressway.
- swainishness — loutishness
- swallow dive — swan dive.
- sweat equity — unreimbursed labor that results in the increased value of property or that is invested to establish or expand an enterprise.
- sweat it out — wait tensely
- sweater girl — a young woman with a shapely bosom, especially one who wears tight sweaters.
- swim bladder — air bladder (def 2).
- swine plague — hemorrhagic septicemia of hogs, caused by the bacterium Pasteurella suiseptica, characterized by an accompanying infection of pneumonia.
- swiss-german — of or relating to a person from German-speaking Switzerland
- switch plate — a plate, usually of metal, ceramic, or plastic, covering a switch so that the knob or toggle protrudes.
- swivel chair — a chair whose seat turns around horizontally on a swivel.
- tack welding — to join (pieces of metal) with a number of small welds spaced some distance apart.
- take a whizz — to urinate
- take to wife — to marry (a woman)
- take up with — to get into one's hold or possession by voluntary action: to take a cigarette out of a box; to take a pen and begin to write.
- team up with — join forces with
- thitherwards — in that direction
- time-wasting — causing someone to spend time doing something that is unnecessary or does not produce any benefit
- toilet water — a scented liquid used as a light perfume; cologne.
- trial lawyer — a lawyer who specializes in appearing before trial courts.
- tube railway — subway (def 1).
- twisted pair — A twisted pair is a pair of wires that are twisted together to reduce interference.
- twitterpated — excited or overcome by romantic feelings; smitten.
- two-base hit — a base hit that enables a batter to reach second base safely.
- underdrawing — the act of sketching a subject before painting it on the same surface
- unreviewable — a critical article or report, as in a periodical, on a book, play, recital, or the like; critique; evaluation.
- unwaveringly — to sway to and fro; flutter: Foliage wavers in the breeze.
- unwearyingly — in an unwearying manner
- utility wear — casual clothing that was originally intended for a particular activity, such as snowboarding or skiing
- variety show — vaudeville performance
- vienna woods — Wienerwald.
- vintage wine — a wine, usually of superior quality, made from selected grapes of a certain type, region, and year, then dated and usually stored for aging.
- wages policy — a government policy setting wages and wage increases for workers, for example, setting minimum wage requirements