17-letter words containing d, e, a, t
- trucial sheikdoms — an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the S coast (formerly, Pirate Coast or Trucial Coast) of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. About 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Capital: Abu Dhabi. Abbreviation: U.A.E.
- try one's hand at — to attempt (to do something), esp. for the first time
- twelfth amendment — an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, ratified in 1804, providing for election of the president and vice president by the electoral college: should there be no majority vote for one person, the House of Representatives (one vote per state) chooses the president and the Senate the vice president.
- two-toed anteater — silky anteater.
- under the weather — the state of the atmosphere with respect to wind, temperature, cloudiness, moisture, pressure, etc.
- undercompensation — to compensate or pay less than is fair, customary, or expected.
- 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.
- undulatory theory — wave theory (def 1).
- unpredictableness — not predictable; not to be foreseen or foretold: an unpredictable occurrence.
- urban development — the development or improvement of an urban area by building
- valetudinarianism — the state, condition, or habits of a valetudinarian.
- veiltail goldfish — an artificially bred, indoor variety of goldfish, usually golden or calico and of a spheroid shape, having a fully divided, drooping tail fin exceeding the body in length.
- vice-presidential — relating to a person who ranks immediately below the chief executive or head of state of a republic
- visible radiation — electromagnetic radiation that causes the sensation of sight; light. It has wavelengths between about 380 and 780 nanometres
- voidable contract — a contract or agreement that is capable of being made of no legal effect or made void
- vulcan death grip — (jargon) A variant of Vulcan nerve pinch derived from a Star Trek classic epsisode where a non-existant "Vulcan death grip" was used to fool Romulans that Spock had killed Kirk.
- wade-giles system — a system of Romanization of Chinese, devised by Sir Thomas Francis Wade (1818–95) and adapted by Herbert Allen Giles (1845–1935), widely used in representing Chinese words and names in English, especially before the adoption of pinyin.
- wage differential — the difference in wages between workers with different skills in the same industry or between those with comparable skills in different industries or localities
- war correspondent — a reporter or commentator assigned to send news or opinions directly from battle areas.
- wardrobe mistress — a woman in charge of keeping theatrical costumes cleaned, pressed, and in wearable condition.
- wedding breakfast — meal served at wedding reception
- well-accommodated — to do a kindness or a favor to; oblige: to accommodate a friend by helping him move to a new apartment.
- well-demonstrated — to make evident or establish by arguments or reasoning; prove: to demonstrate a philosophical principle.
- well-investigated — to examine, study, or inquire into systematically; search or examine into the particulars of; examine in detail.
- well-photographed — a picture produced by photography.
- western red cedar — an arborvitae, Thuja plicata, of western North America, grown as an ornamental.
- 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.
- white-tailed deer — a common North American deer, Odocoileus virginianus, having a tail with a white underside.
- white-tailed kite — an American kite, Elanus leucurus, having gray plumage with a white head, breast, and tail.
- wide area network — a computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area.
- wide-area network — a computer network that spans a relatively large geographical area.
- wild sweet potato — man-of-the-earth.
- winding staircase — long set of spiral stairs
- with a difference — If you describe a job or holiday, for example, as a job with a difference or a holiday with a difference, you mean that the job or holiday is very interesting and unusual.
- with a heavy hand — in a heavy manner; without delicacy or grace
- with bated breath — to moderate or restrain: unable to bate our enthusiasm.
- withdrawal method — a method of contraception in which the man withdraws his penis from the woman's vagina before ejaculation
- without regard to — with no concern for
- wood preservative — a coating applied to timber as a protection against decay, insects, weather, etc
- yesterday evening — during the evening of the day preceding today
- yesterday morning — during the morning of the day preceding today
- yield the palm to — to acknowledge the superiority of; admit to defeat by
- yield to maturity — The yield to maturity of a bond is the rate of return on the bond if it is held to its maturity date.
- youth-and-old-age — a stiff-growing, erect composite plant, Zinnia elegans, of Mexico, having large, solitary flowers with yellow-to-purple disks and usually red rays.