15-letter words containing f, u, l, s, e, r
- 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.
- sodium fluoride — a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble, poisonous solid, NaF, used chiefly in the fluoridation of water, as an insecticide, and as a rodenticide.
- special feature — an article differing from the normal format and focusing on a particular topic
- st. ulmo's fire — St. Elmo's fire.
- stiff upper lip — stoicism
- strombuliferous — having organs coiled as spirals
- subprofessional — being below professional standards: subprofessional health care.
- sulfite process — a process for making wood pulp by digesting wood chips in an acid liquor consisting of sulfurous acid and a salt, usually calcium bisulfite.
- sulfur trioxide — an irritant, corrosive, low-melting solid, SO 3 , obtained by the oxidation of sulfur dioxide, used as an intermediate in the manufacture of sulfuric acid.
- summer flounder — a flounder, Paralichthys dentatus, inhabiting shallow waters from Cape Cod to South Carolina, valued as food.
- sunflower seeds — the seeds of a sunflower, which can be eaten
- sunflower state — Kansas (used as a nickname).
- superficialness — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
- superfluousness — being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.
- sylvian fissure — lateral fissure.
- tentaculiferous — having tentacles
- transfer lounge — the place in an airport where you wait for a transfer from one flight to another
- true-false test — a test requiring one to mark statements as true or false.
- unfamiliarities — not familiar; not acquainted with or conversant about: to be unfamiliar with a subject.
- unfossiliferous — (of sediment, clay, rock, etc) not containing fossils
- venus's-flytrap — a carnivorous plant, Dionaea muscipula, native to bogs of North and South Carolina, having roundish leaves with two lobes that close like a trap when certain delicate hairs on them are irritated, as by a fly: the range is now reduced, though the plants are still locally abundant.
- work oneself up — become overwrought
- wrongful arrest — the act of arresting someone without proper reason