17-letter words containing b, a, s
- the bag of tricks — every device; everything
- the barbary coast — a historic name for the Mediterranean coast of North Africa: a centre of piracy against European shipping from the 16th to the 19th centuries
- the beehive state — Utah
- the buckeye state — a nickname for Ohio
- the carboniferous — the Carboniferous period or rock system
- the establishment — a group or class of people having institutional authority within a society, esp those who control the civil service, the government, the armed forces, and the Church: usually identified with a conservative outlook
- the last sb heard — You can use expressions such as the last I heard and the last she heard to introduce a piece of information that is the most recent that you have on a particular subject.
- the tabloid press — (considered as a whole) newspapers with pages about 30 cm (12 inches) by 40 cm (16 inches), usually characterized by an emphasis on photographs and a concise and often sensational style
- the twelve tables — the earliest code of Roman civil, criminal, and religious law, promulgated in 451–450 bc
- the whole shebang — The whole shebang is the whole situation or business that you are describing.
- the-invisible-man — a novel (1897) by H.G. Wells.
- throat sweetbread — sweetbread (def 2).
- thyestean banquet — a banquet at which human flesh is served
- tibetan highlands — Tibet, Plateau of.
- to best advantage — If something is shown to good advantage or to best advantage, it is shown in a way that reveals its best features.
- to read sb's mind — If you can read someone's mind, you know what they are thinking without them saying anything.
- transferable vote — a vote that is transferred to a second candidate indicated by the voter if the first is eliminated from the ballot
- transonic barrier — sound barrier.
- triskaidekaphobia — fear or a phobia concerning the number 13.
- trobriand islands — a group of coral islands in the Solomon Sea, north of the E part of New Guinea: part of Papua New Guinea. Area: about 440 sq km (170 sq miles)
- tubercle bacillus — the bacterium, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, causing tuberculosis.
- turbinado (sugar) — a partially refined, granulated, pale-brown sugar obtained by washing raw sugar in a centrifuge until most of the molasses is removed
- turbosupercharger — (formerly) a turbocharger.
- uncircumscribable — to draw a line around; encircle: to circumscribe a city on a map.
- uncle tom's cabin — an antislavery novel (1852) by Harriet Beecher Stowe.
- uncomfortableness — causing discomfort or distress; painful; irritating.
- understandability — capable of being understood; comprehensible.
- undistinguishable — to mark off as different (often followed by from or by): He was distinguished from the other boys by his height.
- universal algebra — (logic) The model theory of first-order equational logic.
- unlawful assembly — a meeting of three or more people with the intent of carrying out any unlawful purpose
- unpredictableness — not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold: an unpredictable occurrence.
- unsubstantiatable — to establish by proof or competent evidence: to substantiate a charge.
- user brain damage — (humour) (UBD) A description (usually abbreviated) used to close a trouble report obviously due to utter cluelessness on the user's part. Compare pilot error; opposite: PBD; see also brain-damaged, PEBCAK.
- vanity publishing — the practice of the author of a book paying all or most of the costs of its publication
- ventura publisher — Corel VENTURA
- vestibular system — the sensory mechanism in the inner ear that detects movement of the head and helps to control balance
- visible radiation — electromagnetic radiation that causes the sensation of sight; light. It has wavelengths between about 380 and 780 nanometres
- wang laboratories — (body) Computer manufacturer, known for their office automation products and the Wang PC. Quarterly sales $208M, profits $3M (Aug 1994).
- war establishment — the full wartime complement of men, equipment, and vehicles of a military unit
- wardrobe mistress — a woman in charge of keeping theatrical costumes cleaned, pressed, and in wearable condition.
- wastepaper basket — a standing basket for wastepaper, small items of trash, etc.
- wedding breakfast — meal served at wedding reception
- welshman's button — an angler's name for a species of caddis fly, Sericostoma personatum
- westminster abbey — a Gothic church in London, England.
- what does sb know — You can use expressions such as What does she know? and What do they know? when you think that someone has no right to comment on a situation because they do not understand it.
- wheatstone bridge — a circuit for measuring an unknown resistance by comparing it with known resistances.
- with guns blazing — If you come out with guns blazing or with all guns blazing, you put all your effort and energy into trying to achieve something.
- working substance — a substance, usually a fluid, that undergoes changes in pressure, temperature, volume, or form as part of a process for accomplishing work.
- zebra swallowtail — a swallowtail butterfly, Papilio marcellus, having black and greenish-white stripes on the wings.