12-letter words containing e, o, u, s
- atmospherium — an optical system used to simulate images of atmospheric phenomena, as cloud formations, storms, and day and night, on the inside of a dome.
- auction sale — an instance of items being sold by auction
- auction site — a commercial website on which items are sold by internet auction
- audio system — integrated equipment for producing amplified sound, as in a hi-fi or a mobile disco, or as a public-address system on stage
- auger shower — a shower of electrons, photons, etc. resulting from the collision of primary cosmic rays with atomic nuclei in the atmosphere
- austronesian — of or relating to Austronesia, its peoples, or their languages
- auto-erotism — the arousal and satisfaction of sexual excitement within or by oneself, as by masturbation.
- autocatalyse — to cause an internal, self-produced, chemical reaction
- autochangers — Plural form of autochanger.
- autochthones — Alternative spelling of autochthons.
- autodestruct — likely to or possessing the power to destroy or obliterate itself or its possessor
- autodiallers — Plural form of autodialler.
- autoeciously — in an autoecious manner
- autoexposure — A device that sets the exposure automatically on a camera or other piece of equipment.
- autogenously — In an autogenous manner; spontaneously.
- autotheistic — Self-worshiping; prideful in the extreme.
- balsamaceous — any of various fragrant exudations from certain trees, especially trees of the genus Commiphora, as balm-of-Gilead. Compare balm (def 1).
- barge course — the overhang of the gable end of a roof
- barquisimeto — a city in NW Venezuela. Pop: 1 009 000 (2005 est)
- base bullion — smelted lead containing impurities, as gold, silver, or zinc, that are later removed.
- basset hound — A basset hound is a dog with short strong legs, a long body, and long ears. It is kept as a pet or used for hunting.
- bastel house — (on the Anglo-Scottish border) a partly fortified house, usually with a vaulted ground floor.
- be no slouch — If you say that someone is no slouch at a particular activity, you mean that they are skilful at it or are willing to work hard at it.
- bean sprouts — the sprouts of newly germinated mung beans, eaten as a vegetable, esp in Chinese dishes
- beardtongues — Plural form of beardtongue.
- beaufort sea — part of the Arctic Ocean off the N coast of North America
- beauty salon — A beauty salon is the same as a beauty parlour.
- behaviourism — Behaviourism is the belief held by some psychologists that the only valid method of studying the psychology of people or animals is to observe how they behave.
- bell housing — A bell housing is a bell-shaped extension of an engine crankcase, that contains the flywheel and the clutch.
- bio-security — the precautions taken to protect against the spread of lethal or harmful organisms and diseases
- biting louse — any wingless insect of the order Mallophaga, such as the chicken louse: external parasites of birds and mammals with biting mouthparts
- black grouse — a large N European grouse, Lyrurus tetrix, the male of which has a bluish-black plumage and lyre-shaped tail
- blue stilton — a rich cheese made from whole milk, blue-veined and very strong in flavour
- blue succory — a composite garden plant, Catananche caerulea, of southern Europe, having very hairy leaves and blue flower heads, used by the ancients as a love potion.
- bluestocking — A bluestocking is an intellectual woman.
- boiler house — a building housing a boiler
- boisterously — rough and noisy; noisily jolly or rowdy; clamorous; unrestrained: the sound of boisterous laughter.
- bombacaceous — of, relating to, or belonging to the Bombacaceae, a family of tropical trees, including the kapok tree and baobab, that have very thick stems, often with water-storing tissue
- bonus number — (in the National Lottery) a number announced after the normal six numbers which influences the amount of prize money paid
- bonus scheme — a scheme in a company or other organization according to which employees receive a bonus if they meet specified targets
- booster pump — A booster pump is a pump which is used where pressure is low and needs to be increased.
- booze cruise — a day trip to a foreign country, esp from England across the English Channel to France, for the purposes of buying cheap alcohol, cigarettes, etc
- bottom house — the open space beneath a house built upon high pillars
- bounce flash — a flash lamp designed to produce a bounced flash.
- bourbon rose — a hybrid rose, Rosa borboniana, having dark, carmine-colored flowers, cultivated in many horticultural varieties.
- bourgeoisify — to convert to a bourgeois attitude or appearance
- bourne shell — (sh, Shellish). The original command-line interpreter shell and script language for Unix written by S.R. Bourne of Bell Laboratories in 1978. sh has been superseded for interactive use by the Berkeley C shell, csh but still widely used for writing shell scripts. There were even earlier shells, see glob. [Details?]
- bow thruster — a propeller located in a ship's bow to provide added maneuverability, as when docking.
- brachycerous — (of insects) having short antennae
- brassfounder — a person who makes things from brass