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15-letter words containing f, r, a, s, c

  • quadric surface — a three-dimensional surface whose equation is a quadratic equation.
  • ratafia biscuit — a macaroon.
  • research fellow — A research fellow is a member of an academic institution whose job is to do research.
  • respecification — the act of specifying.
  • riemann surface — a geometric representation of a function of a complex variable in which a multiple-valued function is depicted as a single-valued function on several planes, the planes being connected at some of the points at which the function takes on more than one value.
  • right of search — the privilege of a nation at war to search neutral ships on the high seas for contraband or other matter, carried in violation of neutrality, that may subject the ship to seizure.
  • rockrose family — the plant family Cistaceae, characterized by herbaceous plants and shrubs having simple, usually opposite leaves, solitary or clustered flowers, and capsular fruit, and including the frostweed, pinweed, and rockrose.
  • sale of produce — the selling of something that is produced, esp agricultural products
  • schiffs-reagent — a solution of rosaniline and sulfurous acid in water, used to test for the presence of aldehydes.
  • self-abhorrence — a feeling of extreme repugnance or aversion; utter loathing; abomination.
  • self-caricature — a picture, description, etc., ludicrously exaggerating the peculiarities or defects of persons or things: His caricature of the mayor in this morning's paper is the best he's ever drawn.
  • self-lacerating — to tear roughly; mangle: The barbed wire lacerated his hands.
  • self-laceration — the result of lacerating; a rough, jagged tear.
  • self-proclaimed — to announce or declare in an official or formal manner: to proclaim war.
  • semimanufacture — a product which forms an intermediate stage in the manufacture of another, often more complex product
  • simple fraction — a ratio of two integers.
  • simple fracture — a fracture in which the bone does not pierce the skin.
  • snafu principle — /sna'foo prin'si-pl/ [WWII Army acronym for "Situation Normal: All Fucked Up"] "True communication is possible only between equals, because inferiors are more consistently rewarded for telling their superiors pleasant lies than for telling the truth." - a central tenet of Discordianism, often invoked by hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and systematically. The effect of the SNAFU principle is a progressive disconnection of decision-makers from reality. This lightly adapted version of a fable dating back to the early 1960s illustrates the phenomenon perfectly: In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification; And the plan was without form, and the specification was void. And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof; And they spake unto their leader, saying: "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer." And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader: "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof." And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying: "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it." The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus: "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength." The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying: "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong." And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President. "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful." The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed: "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!" And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good. After the subsequent disaster, the suits protect themselves by saying "I was misinformed!", and the implementors are demoted or fired.
  • soft-shell crab — a crab, especially the blue crab, that has recently molted and therefore has a soft, edible shell.
  • special feature — an article differing from the normal format and focusing on a particular topic
  • specific charge — the ratio of the charge on a particle to the mass of the particle.
  • star of courage — a Canadian award for bravery
  • station officer — a person who is in charge of a fire station
  • strait of canso — a channel in Canada, between the Nova Scotia mainland and S Cape Breton Island
  • stress fracture — a hairline crack in a bone, especially of a foot or leg, caused by repeated or prolonged stress and often occurring in runners, dancers, and soldiers (march fracture)
  • summary offence — an offence that is triable in a magistrates' court
  • superficialness — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
  • surface density — quantity, as of electric charge, per unit surface area.
  • surface grammar — grammar understood at the level of normal communication, rather than at the underlying level of 'deep' semantic and syntactic analysis
  • surface tension — the elasticlike force existing in the surface of a body, especially a liquid, tending to minimize the area of the surface, caused by asymmetries in the intermolecular forces between surface molecules.
  • surface-ripened — (of cheese) ripened on the surface by molds or other microorganisms.
  • syngeneic graft — a tissue or organ transplanted from one member of a species to another, genetically identical member of the species, as a kidney transplanted from one identical twin to the other.
  • tentaculiferous — having tentacles
  • the black ferns — the women's international Rugby Union football team of New Zealand
  • theft insurance — insurance against loss or damage of property resulting from theft.
  • toreador fresco — a mural (c1500 b.c.) from Minoan Crete.
  • tourist traffic — the number of tourists that visit an area
  • transfer factor — a lymphocyte product that, when extracted from T cells of an individual with immunity to a particular antigen, can confer that immunity when administered to another individual of the same species.
  • tray classifier — A tray classifier is a tank for leaching from a dispersed solid, in which pulp at the bottom of the tank is raked (= moved to the exit) while solvent is forced toward the bottom of the tank.
  • velcro fastener — a fastener made of Velcro
  • vicar of christ — the pope, with reference to his claim to stand in the place of Jesus Christ and possess His authority in the church.
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