17-letter words containing h, y, a
- the olympic flame — the flame that is symbolically lit at the site of the ancient Olympics in Olympia and transported by relay to the place where the Olympic Games are to be held. It is used to ignite a fire in a cauldron that will burn throughout the Games
- the pennsylvanian — the Pennsylvanian period or rock system, equivalent to the Upper Carboniferous of Europe
- the varsity match — a sporting fixture between Oxford and Cambridge university rugby teams
- thirty years' war — the war, often regarded as a series of wars (1618–48), in central Europe, initially involving a conflict between German Protestants and Catholics and later including political rivalries with France, Sweden, and Denmark opposing the Holy Roman Empire and Spain.
- three-day eventer — a rider or horse that takes part in three-day eventing
- thyestean banquet — a banquet at which human flesh is served
- to have it in you — If you have it in you, you have abilities and skills which you do not usually use and which only show themselves in a difficult situation.
- to keep your head — If you keep your head, you remain calm in a difficult situation. If you lose your head, you panic or do not remain calm in a difficult situation.
- to play the field — If someone plays the field, they have a number of different romantic or sexual relationships.
- to play with fire — If you say that someone is playing with fire, you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems.
- to say nothing of — You use to say nothing of when you mention an additional thing which gives even more strength to the point you are making.
- 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.
- trick photography — photography that creates an illusion
- try one's hand at — to attempt (to do something), esp. for the first time
- tyrant flycatcher — flycatcher (def 2).
- undulatory theory — wave theory (def 1).
- unitary authority — (in the United Kingdom) a district administered by a single tier of local government, esp those districts of England that became administratively independent of the county councils in 1996–98
- unsympathetically — in a manner that is not characterized by feeling or showing sympathy
- utagawa kuniyoshi — original name Igusa Magosabwo. 1797–1861, Japanese painter and printmaker of the ukiyo-e school, best known for his prints of warriors and landscapes
- vanity publishing — the practice of the author of a book paying all or most of the costs of its publication
- varix lymphaticus — a similar condition affecting an artery or lymphatic vessel
- verkhoyansk range — a mountain range in the Sakha Republic, in E Siberia, Russia. About 600 miles (970 km) long.
- walleye surfperch — a common black and silvery surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum) found off the coast of California
- what do you want? — If you say to someone 'what do you want?', you are asking them in a rather rude or angry way why they have come to the place where you are or why they want to speak to you.
- willow flycatcher — a North American flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum, of alder thickets and other moist areas, that has greenish-brown upper parts and whitish underparts and is almost indistinguishable except by voice from E. traillii (willow flycatcher)
- with a heavy hand — in a heavy manner; without delicacy or grace
- yield the palm to — to acknowledge the superiority of; admit to defeat by
- youth programming — the creation and scheduling of television programmes specifically aimed at young people
- youth-and-old-age — a stiff-growing, erect composite plant, Zinnia elegans, of Mexico, having large, solitary flowers with yellow-to-purple disks and usually red rays.
- yuzhno-sakhalinsk — a city in the SE Russian Federation in Asia, on S Sakhalin Island.
- zoogeographically — In a zoogeographical way.