16-letter words containing c, i, r, u
- partial function — A function which is not defined for all arguments of its input type. E.g. f(x) = 1/x if x /= 0. The opposite of a total function. In denotational semantics, a partial function f : D -> C may be represented as a total function ft : D' -> lift(C) where D' is a superset of D and ft x = f x if x in D ft x = bottom otherwise where lift(C) = C U bottom. Bottom (LaTeX \perp) denotes "undefined".
- percussion drill — a drill that is operated by percussion
- permaculturalist — a system of cultivation intended to maintain permanent agriculture or horticulture by relying on renewable resources and a self-sustaining ecosystem.
- perpendicularity — vertical; straight up and down; upright.
- personality cult — deliberately cultivated adulation of a person, esp a political leader
- persulfuric acid — Also called Caro's acid, permonosulfuric acid, peroxymonosulfuric acid, peroxysulfuric acid. a white, crystalline solid, H 2 SO 5 , used as an oxidizing agent for certain organic compounds.
- phosphorous acid — a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble acid of phosphorus, H 3 PO 3 , from which phosphites are derived.
- photoautotrophic — any organism that derives its energy for food synthesis from light and is capable of using carbon dioxide as its principal source of carbon.
- phytosuccivorous — feeding on sap, as certain sucking insects.
- picture moulding — the edge around a framed picture
- picture postcard — postcard (def 1).
- pilot production — sth produced on a trial basis
- piscis austrinus — a small constellation in the S hemisphere lying between Aquarius and Grus and containing the first-magnitude star Fomalhaut
- plutarch's lives — (Parallel Lives) a collection (a.d. 105–15) by Plutarch of short biographies of the leading political figures of ancient Greece and Rome.
- pneumatic trough — a trough filled with liquid, especially water, for collecting gases in bell jars or the like by displacement.
- poitou-charentes — a region of W central France, on the Bay of Biscay: mainly low-lying
- pre-subscription — a sum of money given or pledged as a contribution, payment, investment, etc.
- primary consumer — (in the food chain) an animal that feeds on plants; a herbivore.
- primary producer — any green plant or any of various microorganisms that can convert light energy or chemical energy into organic matter.
- primitive church — the early Christian church, especially in reference to its earliest form and organization.
- principal clause — the main clause.
- pro bono publico — for the public good or welfare.
- process industry — business of treating raw materials
- production costs — the costs used in manufacturing a product
- project guardian — (project, security) A project which grew out of the ARPA support for Multics and the sale of Multics systems to the US Air Force. The USAF wanted a system that could be used to handle more than one security classification of data at a time. They contracted with Honeywell and MITRE Corporation to figure out how to do this. Project Guardian led to the creation of the Access Isolation Mechanism, the forerunner of the B2 labeling and star property support in Multics. The DoD Orange Book was influenced by the experience in building secure systems gained in Project Guardian.
- promiscuous mode — (networking) Where a node on a network accepts all packets, regardless of their destination address.
- propylthiouracil — a white crystalline compound, C 7 H 1 0 N 2 OS, that interferes with the synthesis of thyroid hormone by the thyroid gland: used in the treatment of hyperthyroidism.
- prosecution case — the case brought against someone by a legal authority
- prosthetic group — the nonprotein acid constituent of a conjugate protein, as the heme group of hemoglobin.
- proxima centauri — the nearest star to the sun at a distance of 4.3 light-years, part of the Alpha Centauri triple-star system located in the constellation Centaurus.
- pseudo-patriotic — of, like, suitable for, or characteristic of a patriot.
- pseudo-realistic — interested in, concerned with, or based on what is real or practical: a realistic estimate of costs; a realistic planner.
- pseudohistorical — of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events: historical records; historical research.
- public ownership — ownership by the state; nationalization
- public relations — (used with a plural verb) the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc.
- public transport — fare-paying travel
- puddling-furnace — the act of a person or thing that puddles.
- punctuation mark — any of a group of conventional marks or characters used in punctuation, as the period, comma, semicolon, question mark, or dash.
- purchasing agent — a person who buys materials, supplies, equipment, etc., for a company.
- purchasing power — Also called buying power. the ability to purchase goods and services.
- pyroconductivity — conductivity brought about by the application of heat, especially in solids that are not conductors at normal temperatures.
- pyruvic aldehyde — a yellow, liquid compound, C 3 H 4 O 2 , containing both an aldehyde and a ketone group, usually obtained in a polymeric form: used chiefly in organic synthesis.
- quadricentennial — of, relating to, or marking the completion of a period of four hundred years.
- quasi-commercial — of, relating to, or characteristic of commerce.
- quasi-compulsory — required; mandatory; obligatory: compulsory education.
- quasi-democratic — pertaining to or of the nature of democracy or a democracy.
- quasi-historical — of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events: historical records; historical research.
- quatercentennial — pertaining to or marking a period of 400 years.
- radius of action — the maximum distance that a ship, aircraft, or land vehicle can travel from its base and return without refuelling
- rambunctiousness — difficult to control or handle; wildly boisterous: a rambunctious child.