29-letter words containing i, b, n
- monobasic potassium phosphate — potassium diphosphate. See under potassium phosphate.
- mordovian autonomous republic — an autonomous republic in the Russian Federation in Europe. 9843 sq. mi. (25,493 sq. km). Capital: Saransk.
- more trouble than it is worth — If you say that someone or something is more trouble than they are worth, you mean that they cause you a lot of problems or take a lot of time and effort and you do not achieve or gain very much in return.
- multiprotocol label switching — (networking) (MPLS) A packet switching protocol developed by the IETF. Initially developed to improve switching speed, other benefits are now seen as being more important. MPLS adds a 32-bit label to each packet to improve network efficiency and to enable routers to direct packets along predefined routes in accordance with the required quality of service. The label is added when the packet enters the MPLS network, and is based on an analysis of the packet header. The label contains information on the route along which the packet may travel, and the forwarding equivalence class (FEC) of the packet. Packets with the same FEC are routed through the network in the same way. Routers make forwarding decisions based purely on the contents of the label. This simplifies the work done by the router, leading to an increase in speed. At each router, the label is replaced with a new label, which tells the next router how to forward the packet. The label is removed when the packet leaves the MPLS network. Modern ASIC-based routers can look up routes fast enough to make the speed increase less important. However, MPLS still has some benefits. The use of FECs allows QoS levels to be guaranteed, and MPLS allows IP tunnels to be created through a network, so that VPNs can be implemented without encryption.
- non-uniform rational b spline — (graphics, mathematics) (nurbs) A common term in Mechanical CAD. The NURBS has excellent continuity characteristics which make it useful for creating accurate models in 3D geometry generation and computer modelling.
- not with a bang but a whimper — If you say that something happens not with a bang but a whimper, you mean that it is less effective or exciting than was expected or intended.
- object compatibility standard — (OCS) An 88open standard for compilers and linkers.
- on the right/wrong side of sb — If you get on the wrong side of someone, you do something to annoy them and make them dislike you. If you stay on the right side of someone, you try to please them and avoid annoying them.
- programmable logic controller — (hardware) (PLC) A device used to automate monitoring and control of industrial plant. Can be used stand-alone or in conjunction with a SCADA or other system.
- receivables collection period — A receivables collection period is a measure of cash flow that is calculated by dividing average receivables by credit sales per day.
- shipshape and bristol fashion — in good order; efficiently arranged
- small business administration — a federal agency, created in 1953, that grants or guarantees long-term loans to small businesses. Abbreviation: SBA, S.B.A.
- software description database — (networking) Archie's database of names and short descriptions of many of the software packages, documents (like RFCs and educational material), and data files that are available via the Internet.
- symbolic automatic integrator — (mathematics, tool) (SAINT) A symbolic mathematics program written in Lisp by J. Slagle at MIT in 1961.
- take sb into one's confidence — If you take someone into your confidence, you tell them a secret.
- the boot is on the other foot — the situation is or has now reversed
- the northern ireland assembly — the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland, located at Stormont in Belfast
- to be bursting with something — to be teeming with or crammed full of something
- to be mentioned in dispatches — If a soldier is mentioned in dispatches, he or she is considered to have been extremely brave in a battle, and is recommended for a medal.
- to get sb in the party spirit — to make someone feel like going to a party
- to have a learning disability — to be unable to reach the average standard of people of the same age group as regards intellectual and cognitive skills and performance
- to invade sb's personal space — to come too close to somebody, so that they feel uncomfortable
- translation look-aside buffer — (storage, architecture) (TLB) A table used in a virtual memory system, that lists the physical address page number associated with each virtual address page number. A TLB is used in conjunction with a cache whose tags are based on virtual addresses. The virtual address is presented simultaneously to the TLB and to the cache so that cache access and the virtual-to-physical address translation can proceed in parallel (the translation is done "on the side"). If the requested address is not cached then the physical address is used to locate the data in main memory. The alternative would be to place the translation table between the cache and main memory so that it will only be activated once there was a cache miss.
- twist the knife in sb's wound — If you twist the knife in someone's wound, you do or say something to make an unpleasant situation they are in even more unpleasant.
- until one is blue in the face — to the utmost degree; indefinitely
- visual basic for applications — (programming) (VBA) Microsoft's common language for manipulating components of its Microsoft Office suite. It is used as the macro language for these applications and is the primary means of customising and extending them. A VBA program operates on objects representing the application and the entities it manipulates, e.g. a spreadsheet or a range of cells in Microsoft Excel.
- windows hardware quality labs — (body, standard) (WHQL) A Microsoft body that produces and supports the Microsoft Hardware Compatibility Test kit for current Microsoft operating systems. Products are tested with the kit to ensure that they meet Microsoft standards for compatibility with Windows and to qualify to use the "Designed for Microsoft Windows" logos.
- women's liberation (movement) — the women's movement begun in the mid-20th cent.