17-letter words containing c, o, i, s
- paradoxical sleep — REM sleep.
- pashmina politics — the adoption of political policies immediately after they have gone out of fashion
- passive obedience — unquestioning obedience to authority
- patriarchal cross — a Latin cross having a shorter crosspiece above the customary one.
- pecorino (cheese) — an Italian cheese made of sheep's milk; specif., such a cheese that is dry, sharp, and very hard
- percussion bullet — a bullet that is exploded by percussion
- periodic sentence — a sentence that, by leaving the completion of its main clause to the end, produces an effect of suspense, as in Unable to join the others at the dance because of my sprained ankle, I went to a movie.
- pernicious anemia — Pernicious anemia is a very severe blood disease.
- personal distance — personal space.
- personality clash — friction between two people who have different personalities or points of view
- personnel carrier — a vehicle used for transporting troops
- personnel officer — a worker responsible for recruiting employees and dealing with matters relating to them
- perspicaciousness — having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning: to exhibit perspicacious judgment.
- phenyl isocyanate — a liquid reagent, C 7 H 5 NO, having an unpleasant, irritating odor: used chiefly for identifying alcohols and amines.
- photo-composition — any method of composition using photography, as composition by means of a photocomposer.
- photodissociation — the dissociation or breakdown of a chemical compound by radiant energy.
- photoluminescence — luminescence induced by the absorption of infrared radiation, visible light, or ultraviolet radiation.
- phototherapeutics — the branch of therapeutics that deals with the curative use of light rays.
- pick the eyes out — to select the best parts or pieces (of)
- piece of business — business (def 10).
- pincushion cactus — any of various low-growing, spiny cacti of the genus Mammillaria.
- pincushion flower — scabious2 (def 1).
- pitot-static tube — a device combining a Pitot tube with a static tube: used to measure airspeed.
- plastic explosive — a puttylike substance that contains an explosive charge, and is detonated by fuse or by remote control: used especially by terrorists and in guerrilla warfare.
- pocket battleship — a small heavily armed and armored warship serving as a battleship because of limitations imposed by treaty.
- point of presence — (PoP) A site where there exists a collection of telecommunications equipment, usually modems, digital leased lines and multi-protocol routers. An Internet access provider may operate several PoPs distributed throughout their area of operation to increase the chance that their subscribers will be able to reach one with a local telephone call. The alternative is for them to use virtual PoPs (virtual points of presence) via some third party.
- point of purchase — designating or in use at a retail outlet where an item can be purchased; point-of-sale: point-of-purchase displays to entice the buyer.
- point reyes lilac — a prostrate shrub, Ceanothus gloriosus, of southern California, having leathery, roundish leaves and purplish or deep-blue flowers.
- point-of-purchase — designating or in use at a retail outlet where an item can be purchased; point-of-sale: point-of-purchase displays to entice the buyer.
- polar coordinates — Usually, polar coordinates. one of two coordinates used to locate a point in a plane by the length of its radius vector and the angle this vector makes with the polar axis (polar angle)
- polioencephalitis — a disease characterized by inflammation of the gray matter of the brain.
- political science — a social science dealing with political institutions and with the principles and conduct of government.
- polystyrene chips — small pieces of polystyrene used for insulating or packing
- positive electron — positron.
- positive eugenics — the study of or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the human species or a human population, especially by such means as discouraging reproduction by persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits (negative eugenics) or encouraging reproduction by persons presumed to have inheritable desirable traits (positive eugenics)
- positive feedback — Electronics. the process of returning part of the output of a circuit, system, or device to the input, either to oppose the input (negative feedback) or to aid the input (positive feedback) acoustic feedback.
- post-independence — Also, independency. the state or quality of being independent.
- post-resurrection — the act of rising from the dead.
- poststructuralism — a variation of structuralism, often seen as a critique, emphasizing plurality of meaning and instability of concepts that structuralism uses to define society, language, etc.
- potassium acetate — a white, crystalline, deliquescent, water-soluble powder, KC 2 H 3 O 2 , used chiefly as a reagent in analytical chemistry.
- potassium cyanide — a white, granular, water-soluble, poisonous powder, KCN, having a faint almondlike odor, used chiefly in metallurgy and photography.
- prairie provinces — the Canadian provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta, which lie in the N Great Plains region of North America: the chief wheat and petroleum producing area of Canada
- pre-modifications — an act or instance of modifying.
- precision bombing — aerial bombing in which bombs are dropped, as accurately as possible, on a specific, usually small, target.
- precision casting — investment casting.
- prefect apostolic — the administrator, usually below the rank of bishop, in charge of a prefecture apostolic.
- prescription drug — medication available only on doctor's instruction
- presentation copy — a copy of a book given by the publisher or author
- presiding officer — the person who presides over the Scottish Parliament or Welsh Assembly
- press association — an organization formed for the purpose of gathering news for transmittal to its members. Compare news agency.