17-letter words containing f, e, o, r, s
- sign of the cross — a movement of the hand to indicate a cross, as from forehead to breast and left shoulder to right or, in the Eastern Orthodox Church, from right shoulder to left.
- significant other — Sociology. a person, as a parent or peer, who has great influence on one's behavior and self-esteem.
- silicon rectifier — a rectifier consisting of a semiconductor diode using crystalline silicon
- sister of charity — a member of one of several congregations of sisters founded in 1634 by St. Vincent de Paul.
- sister of loretto — a member of a congregation of sisters founded at Loretto, Kentucky, in 1812 and engaged in educational and missionary works.
- sixty-fourth note — a note having one sixty-fourth of the time value of a whole note; hemidemisemiquaver.
- sixty-fourth rest — a rest equal in time value to a sixty-fourth note.
- skin of our teeth — a play (1942) by Thornton Wilder.
- smoke-filled room — a place, as a hotel room, for conducting secret negotiations, effecting compromises, devising strategy, etc.
- soft-rock geology — geology dealing with sedimentary rocks.
- software engineer — a person who writes computer programs
- software platform — a major piece of software, as an operating system, an operating environment, or a database, under which various smaller application programs can be designed to run.
- south farmingdale — a town on central Long Island, in SE New York.
- south frigid zone — the part of the earth's surface between the Antarctic Circle and the South Pole.
- south west africa — a former name of Namibia.
- south-west africa — a former name of Namibia.
- southern studfish — See under studfish.
- sports facilities — places and things for doing sports
- stannous fluoride — a white, crystalline powder, SnF 2 , slightly soluble in water: used as a source of fluorine in the prevention of dental caries, especially as a toothpaste additive.
- star of bethlehem — the star that is supposed to have appeared above Bethlehem at the birth of Christ
- star-of-bethlehem — any of several plants belonging to the genus Ornithogalum, of the lily family, having grasslike leaves and clusters of white flowers.
- star-of-jerusalem — meadow salsify.
- statue of liberty — a large copper statue, on Liberty Island, in New York harbor, depicting a woman holding a burning torch: designed by F. A. Bartholdi and presented to the U.S. by France; unveiled 1886.
- statutory offense — a wrong punishable under a statute, rather than at common law.
- stereospecificity — (of a reaction) producing a simple stereoisomer.
- stock certificate — a certificate evidencing ownership of one or more shares of stock in a corporation.
- store and forward — to store (information) in a computer for later forward transmission through a telecommunication network
- strut one's stuff — to walk with a vain, pompous bearing, as with head erect and chest thrown out, as if expecting to impress observers.
- sufficient reason — the principle that nothing happens by pure chance, but that an explanation must always be available
- sulfonyl chloride — a colorless liquid, SO 2 Cl 2 , having a very pungent odor and corrosive to the skin and mucous membranes: used as a chlorinating or sulfonating agent.
- sulfurated potash — a yellowish-brown mixture consisting mainly of potassium polysulfides and potassium thiosulfate, used in treating mange.
- surface condenser — a device condensing steam or vapor by passing it over a cool surface.
- sword of damocles — Damocles (def 2).
- take years off sb — If you say that something such as an experience or a way of dressing has taken years off someone, you mean that it has made them look or feel much younger.
- teaching software — computer software for use in providing online education
- temple of artemis — the temple at Ephesus dedicated to Artemis.
- the age of reason — the 18th century in W Europe
- the bag of tricks — every device; everything
- the carboniferous — the Carboniferous period or rock system
- the first line of — If you refer to a method as the first line of, for example, defence or treatment, you mean that it is the first or most important method to be used in dealing with a problem.
- the right side of — in favour with
- theory of numbers — number theory.
- thermal diffusion — the separation of constituents, often isotopes, of a fluid under the influence of a temperature gradient.
- think in terms of — If you say that you are thinking in terms of doing a particular thing, you mean that you are considering it.
- thuringian forest — a forested mountain region in central Germany: a resort area.
- to feel your oats — to feel exuberant or high-spirited
- to raise the roof — If a group of people inside a building raise the roof, they make a very loud noise, for example by singing or shouting.
- to show your face — If you show your face somewhere, you go there and see people, although you are not welcome, are rather unwilling to go, or have not been there for some time.
- tower of strength — a building or structure high in proportion to its lateral dimensions, either isolated or forming part of a building.
- traffic diversion — a special route arranged for traffic to follow when the normal route cannot be used