16-letter words containing f, e, r, i
- flowering quince — any shrub belonging to the genus Chaenomeles, of the rose family, native to eastern Asia, having showy, waxy flowers and a quincelike fruit, grown widely as an ornamental.
- flutter tonguing — a method of sounding a wind instrument, esp the flute, with a rolling movement of the tongue
- flying phalanger — any of various small phalangers of Australia and New Guinea, having a parachutelike fold of skin on each side of the body to give gliding assistance in leaping.
- follicular phase — a stage of the menstrual cycle, from onset of menstruation to ovulation.
- food intolerance — an intolerance of a specific type of food, causing an adverse reaction
- foot in the door — If you say that something helps someone to get their foot in the door or their toe in the door, you mean that it gives them an opportunity to start doing something new, usually in an area that is difficult to succeed in.
- footsteps editor — the technician who adds sound effects, such as doors closing, rain falling, etc, during the postproduction sound-dubbing process
- for a/one minute — If you say that you do not believe for a minute or for one minute that something is true, you are emphasizing that you do not believe that it is true.
- for the duration — If you say that something will happen for the duration, you mean that it will happen for as long as a particular situation continues.
- for the meantime — For the meantime means for a period of time from now until something else happens.
- forbid the banns — to raise an objection to a marriage announced in this way
- forced vibration — Forced vibration is a type of vibration in which a force is repeatedly applied to a mechanical system.
- fore and aft rig — a sail set in a line from one end the other of a vessel rather than in a square
- fore-and-aft rig — a rig in which the principal sails are fore-and-aft.
- foreign commerce — an interchange of goods or commodities, especially on a large scale between different countries (foreign commerce) or between different parts of the same country (domestic commerce) trade; business.
- foreign currency — money used in another country
- foreign exchange — commercial paper drawn on a person or corporation in a foreign nation.
- foreign language — language not one's mother tongue
- foreign minister — (in countries other than the U.S.) a cabinet minister who conducts and supervises foreign and diplomatic relations with other states. Also called, especially British, foreign secretary. Compare secretary of state (def 1).
- foreign national — citizen of another country
- forensic science — the collection of several fields of science to the purposes of law
- forinsec service — foreign service
- forked lightning — Forked lightning is lightning that divides into two or more parts near the ground.
- formation packer — A formation packer is a substance that is used as a seal between the casing and the borehole so that part of the hole can be tested.
- formylmethionine — Alternative spelling of formyl methionine.
- fortin barometer — an adjustable cistern barometer, the most common of those employing mercury.
- forward delivery — delivery at a future date.
- forwarding agent — freight forwarder.
- four-deal bridge — a version of bridge in which four hands only are played, the players then cutting for new partners
- four-dimensional — of a space having points, or a set having elements, which require four coordinates for their unique determination.
- four-masted brig — jackass bark (def 2).
- four-minute mile — a mile-long race run in four minutes or less
- four-wheel drive — a drive system in which engine power is transmitted to all four wheels for improved traction.
- fourier analysis — the expression of any periodic function as a sum of sine and cosine functions, as in an electromagnetic wave function. Compare Fourier series.
- fourth dimension — Physics, Mathematics. a dimension in addition to length, width, and depth, used so as to be able to employ geometrical language in discussing phenomena that depend on four variables: Time is considered a fourth dimension for locating points in space-time.
- fraises des bois — wild strawberries
- franchise clause — a clause stipulating that the insured will be responsible for any loss not in excess of a stated amount, and the insurance company will be liable for full payment of the loss equaling or exceeding the amount up to the insured amount.
- francis joseph i — 1830–1916, emperor of Austria 1848–1916; king of Hungary 1867–1916.
- francis of sales — Saint, 1567–1622, French ecclesiastic and writer on theology: bishop of Geneva 1602–22.
- francis townsend — Francis Everett, 1867–1960, U.S. physician and proposer of the Townsend plan.
- franking machine — a machine that franks letters
- fraternity house — a house occupied by a college or university fraternity.
- fraunhofer lines — a set of dark lines appearing in the continuous emission spectrum of the sun. It is caused by the absorption of light of certain wavelengths coming from the hotter region of the sun by elements in the cooler outer atmosphere
- frederic mistral — Frédéric [frey-dey-reek] /freɪ deɪˈrik/ (Show IPA), 1830–1914, French Provençal poet: Nobel prize 1904.
- free association — the uncensored expression of the ideas, impressions, etc., passing through the mind of the analysand, a technique used to facilitate access to the unconscious.
- free enterpriser — a person who practices or advocates free enterprise.
- free perspective — exaggeration of perspectival devices to increase the illusion of depth, used especially in stage-set painting and construction.
- freezing drizzle — drizzle that falls as a liquid but freezes into glaze or rime upon contact with the ground.
- freezing mixture — a mixture of two substances, usually salt and ice, to give a temperature below 0°C
- freight terminal — (on a rail network) a place where freight is stored while awaiting onward transport