15-letter words containing d, n, a, s
- society islands — a group of islands in the S Pacific: administratively part of French Polynesia; consists of the Windward Islands and the Leeward Islands; became a French protectorate in 1843 and a colony in 1880. Pop: 214 445 (2002). Area: 1595 sq km (616 sq miles)
- sodium arsenite — a white or grayish-white, water-soluble, poisonous powder, NaAsO 2 , used chiefly in arsenical soaps for hides, as an insecticide, and as a weed-killer.
- sodium benzoate — a white crystalline soluble compound used as an antibacterial and antifungal agent in preserving food (E211), as an antiseptic, and in making dyes and pharmaceuticals. Formula: (C6H5COO)Na
- solar radiation — energy radiated from the sun in the form of electromagnetic waves, including visible and ultraviolet light and infrared radiation.
- solomon islands — (used with a plural verb) an archipelago in the W Pacific Ocean, E of New Guinea; important World War II battles; politically divided between Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.
- somerset island — an island in the Arctic Ocean in Nunavut, Canada, NW of Baffin Island. 9594 sq. mi. (24,848 sq. km).
- sons and lovers — a novel (1913) by D. H. Lawrence.
- sostenuto pedal — a pedal on a grand piano that raises the dampers, allowing the tone to be sustained for those strings struck at the time the pedal is depressed.
- sound as a bell — in perfect condition
- sound deadening — a process or material that reduces the resonance or volume of sound
- sound-and-light — combining sound effects or music with unusual lighting displays: to promote a product with a spectacular sound-and-light presentation.
- southend-on-sea — a seaport in SE Essex, in SE England, on Thames estuary.
- spanish needles — (used with a singular or plural verb) a composite plant, Bidens bipinnata, having achenes with downwardly barbed awns.
- spawning ground — a place where fish deposit their eggs for fertilization
- special edition — newspaper, magazine: extra issue
- special student — a student who is not seeking a degree but enrols in a course, esp to gain academic credits
- speed indicator — an instrument for counting the number of revolutions of a gasoline engine.
- spheroidization — the conversion of grains into spheroids
- spit and polish — great care in maintaining smart appearance and crisp efficiency: The commander was concerned more with spit and polish than with the company's morale.
- spotted cowbane — a North American water hemlock, Cicuta maculata, of the parsley family, having a purple-mottled stem, white flowers, and deadly poisonous, tuberlike roots.
- spratly islands — a widely-scattered group of uninhabited islets and reefs in the S South China Sea, the subject of territorial claims wholly or in part by six neighbouring nations
- spread sampling — the selection of a corpus for statistical analysis by selecting a number of short passages at random throughout the work and considering their aggregation
- sprinkler dance — a celebratory dance in which participants extend one arm and shake it to imitate the action of a rotating water sprinkler
- squadron leader — air-force officer
- stage direction — an instruction written into the script of a play, indicating stage actions, movements of performers, or production requirements.
- stamping ground — a habitual or favorite haunt.
- stand in awe of — to respect and fear
- stand to reason — a basis or cause, as for some belief, action, fact, event, etc.: the reason for declaring war.
- stand-up comedy — telling jokes to an audience
- standard bearer — military: person who carries a flag
- standard candle — a unit of luminous intensity; the candela: not in scientific usage because of possible confusion with a former unit (international candle)
- standard clause — a clause which is inserted as standard into certain types of contracts or agreements
- standard dollar — the basic monetary unit of the U.S., since January 31, 1934, containing 15.2 grains of gold, 0.900 fine: previously contained 25.8 grains of gold, 0.900 fine.
- standard lining — a system for aligning type so that all fonts of the same point size have a common baseline.
- standard-bearer — an officer or soldier of an army or military unit who bears a standard.
- standardization — to bring to or make of an established standard size, weight, quality, strength, or the like: to standardize manufactured parts.
- standing charge — fixed energy costs
- standing orders — Military. (formerly) a general order always in force in a command and establishing uniform procedures for it; standard operating procedure.
- stannic sulfide — a yellowish or brownish, water-insoluble powder, SnS 2 , usually used suspended in lacquer or varnish for gilding and bronzing metals, wood, paper, etc.; mosaic gold.
- star-nosed mole — a North American mole, Condylura cristata, having a starlike ring of fleshy processes around the end of the snout.
- starting handle — a crank used to start the motor of an automobile.
- starvation diet — insufficient food to stay alive
- state education — education provided by the state; education which is not private
- steamed pudding — a traditional pudding containing fat, sugar, eggs, flour, and other ingredients, which is steamed
- step-and-repeat — noting or pertaining to a process by which successive photo-offset plates are produced automatically or semiautomatically with great precision: used especially in making plates for multicolor printing.
- stranger danger — the potential or perceived risk posed by unknown people to children and about which it may be advisable to warn them
- street accident — a traffic accident
- student teacher — a student who is studying to be a teacher and who, as part of the training, observes classroom instruction or does closely supervised teaching in an elementary or secondary school.
- studio audience — spectators on a TV set
- sturm und drang — a style or movement of German literature of the latter half of the 18th century: characterized chiefly by impetuosity of manner, exaltation of individual sensibility and intuitive perception, opposition to established forms of society and thought, and extreme nationalism.