15-letter words containing f, u, r, n, c
- service uniform — a uniform for routine duties and service, as distinguished from work, dress, or full-dress uniforms.
- 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.
- summary offence — an offence that is triable in a magistrates' court
- super-efficient — performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; having and using requisite knowledge, skill, and industry; competent; capable: a reliable, efficient assistant.
- superconfidence — great or extreme confidence, overconfidence
- superefficiency — the quality or condition of being superefficient
- superficialness — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
- surface density — quantity, as of electric charge, per unit surface area.
- 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.
- tentaculiferous — having tentacles
- tetrafunctional — pertaining to molecules or groups that can bond at four sites.
- the crucifixion — the crucifying of Christ at Calvary, regarded by Christians as the culminating redemptive act of his ministry
- theft insurance — insurance against loss or damage of property resulting from theft.
- turf accountant — bookmaker (def 1).
- ultracentrifuge — a high-speed centrifuge for subjecting sols or solutions to forces many times that of gravity and producing concentration differences depending on the weight of the micelle or molecule.
- unaccounted for — If people or things are unaccounted for, you do not know where they are or what has happened to them.
- unaccounted-for — not accounted for; not understood; unexplained: an explosion resulting from some unaccounted-for mechanical failure.
- under-frequency — Also, frequence. the state or fact of being frequent; frequent occurrence: We are alarmed by the frequency of fires in the neighborhood.
- unfair practice — unfair competition.
- vector function — a function that assigns a vector to each point in a given set.
- video frequency — transmission frequency of the television picture.
- volunteer force — a group of unpaid workers
- vulgar fraction — common fraction.