15-letter words containing c, h, e, m
- come to nothing — plan, idea: fail
- common shelduck — a large, brightly coloured gooselike duck of the Old World, Tadorna tadorna
- community chest — a fund raised by voluntary contribution for local welfare activities
- complete theory — (logic) An abstract logical theory in which all true statements have formal proofs within the theory.
- complex-machine — Older Use. an automobile or airplane. a typewriter.
- comprehendingly — In an comprehending manner; knowingly.
- comprehensively — Something that is done comprehensively is done thoroughly.
- comprehensivize — to make (an educational system) comprehensive
- comptrollership — controller (def 1).
- computer ethics — (philosophy) Ethics is the field of study that is concerned with questions of value, that is, judgments about what human behaviour is "good" or "bad". Ethical judgments are no different in the area of computing from those in any other area. Computers raise problems of privacy, ownership, theft, and power, to name but a few. Computer ethics can be grounded in one of four basic world-views: Idealism, Realism, Pragmatism, or Existentialism. Idealists believe that reality is basically ideas and that ethics therefore involves conforming to ideals. Realists believe that reality is basically nature and that ethics therefore involves acting according to what is natural. Pragmatists believe that reality is not fixed but is in process and that ethics therefore is practical (that is, concerned with what will produce socially-desired results). Existentialists believe reality is self-defined and that ethics therefore is individual (that is, concerned only with one's own conscience). Idealism and Realism can be considered ABSOLUTIST worldviews because they are based on something fixed (that is, ideas or nature, respectively). Pragmatism and Existentialism can be considered RELATIVIST worldviews because they are based or something relational (that is, society or the individual, respectively). Thus ethical judgments will vary, depending on the judge's world-view. Some examples: First consider theft. Suppose a university's computer is used for sending an e-mail message to a friend or for conducting a full-blown private business (billing, payroll, inventory, etc.). The absolutist would say that both activities are unethical (while recognising a difference in the amount of wrong being done). A relativist might say that the latter activities were wrong because they tied up too much memory and slowed down the machine, but the e-mail message wasn't wrong because it had no significant effect on operations. Next consider privacy. An instructor uses her account to acquire the cumulative grade point average of a student who is in a class which she instructs. She obtained the password for this restricted information from someone in the Records Office who erroneously thought that she was the student's advisor. The absolutist would probably say that the instructor acted wrongly, since the only person who is entitled to this information is the student and his or her advisor. The relativist would probably ask why the instructor wanted the information. If she replied that she wanted it to be sure that her grading of the student was consistent with the student's overall academic performance record, the relativist might agree that such use was acceptable. Finally, consider power. At a particular university, if a professor wants a computer account, all she or he need do is request one but a student must obtain faculty sponsorship in order to receive an account. An absolutist (because of a proclivity for hierarchical thinking) might not have a problem with this divergence in procedure. A relativist, on the other hand, might question what makes the two situations essentially different (e.g. are faculty assumed to have more need for computers than students? Are students more likely to cause problems than faculty? Is this a hold-over from the days of "in loco parentis"?).
- computer-phobia — a person who distrusts or is intimidated by computers.
- consumer choice — the range of competing products and services from which a consumer can choose
- copying machine — a machine that makes copies of original documents, especially by xerography.
- council chamber — the room in which council meetings are held
- countercharming — Present participle of countercharm.
- countermarching — Present participle of countermarch.
- crash programme — a short intensive programme to learn a skill, language, etc
- creme de menthe — a liqueur flavoured with peppermint, usually bright green in colour
- curia rhaetorum — a city in E Switzerland, capital of Graubünden canton. Pop: 32 989 (2000)
- cut the mustard — to come up to expectations
- cyclohexylamine — a highly toxic and hazardous organic chemical derived from cyclohexane
- cytophotometers — Plural form of cytophotometer.
- cytophotometric — of or relating to cytophotometry
- demographically — of or relating to demography, the science of vital and social statistics.
- demythification — the act of demythifying
- dendrochemistry — (chemistry) the science, related to dendrochronology, that uses the analysis of trace minerals in tree rings to study air pollution in past times.
- dermatoglyphics — the lines forming a skin pattern, esp on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet
- deus ex machina — (in ancient Greek and Roman drama) a god introduced into a play to resolve the plot
- dichloromethane — a noxious colourless liquid widely used as a solvent, e.g. in paint strippers. Formula: CH2Cl2
- dichotomous key — a key used to identify a plant or animal in which each stage presents descriptions of two distinguishing characters, with a direction to another stage in the key, until the species is identified
- dichotomousness — the quality of being dichotomous
- dithiocarbamate — any salt or ester of dithiocarbamic acid, commonly used as fungicides
- durchkomponiert — having a different tune for each section rather than having repeated melodies
- dutchman's-pipe — a climbing vine, Aristolochia durior, of the birthwort family, having large, heart-shaped leaves and brownish-purple flowers of a curved form suggesting a tobacco pipe.
- echinodermatous — belonging or pertaining to the echinoderms.
- echocardiograms — Plural form of echocardiogram.
- electrochemical — (chemistry) of, or relating to a chemical reaction brought about by electricity.
- electromyograph — A device used in electromyography to generate electromyograms.
- electrothermics — the study of electricity and heat, or of electrically generated heat
- eleutheromaniac — Having a passionate mania for freedom.
- endomycorrhizal — Of or pertaining to endomycorrhiza.
- enfranchisement — The act of enfranchising.
- ethnic minority — an immigrant or racial group regarded by those claiming to speak for the cultural majority as distinct and unassimilated
- ethnocentricism — Ethnocentrism.
- ethnomusicology — The study of the music of different cultures, especially non-Western ones.
- ethyl carbamate — a colourless odourless crystalline ester that is used in the manufacture of pesticides, fungicides, and pharmaceuticals. Formula: CO(NH2)OC2H5
- euphemistically — In a euphemistic manner.
- factory chimney — a tall chimney of a factory
- fighter command — a former unit of the Royal Air Force dedicated to the use of fighter aircraft, esp against enemy bombers and their escorts during WWII
- fine-tooth comb — a comb having narrow, closely set teeth.