17-letter words containing i, l, e, o

the facts of life — the details of sexual behaviour and reproduction, esp as told to children
the first line of — If you refer to a method as the first line of, for example, defence or treatment, you mean that it is the first or most important method to be used in dealing with a problem.
the glacial epoch — the Pleistocene Epoch
the life and soul — a person regarded as the main source of merriment and liveliness
the life of riley — If you say that someone is living the life of Riley, you mean that they have a very easy and comfortable life with few worries.
the lower animals — relatively simple or primitive animals and not mammals or vertebrates
the lower regions — hell
the neolithic age — the last part of the Stone Age, where metal tools became widespread
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 olympic torch — a torch 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 outside world — You can use the outside world to refer to all the people who do not live in a particular place or who are not involved in a particular situation.
the plot thickens — People sometimes say 'the plot thickens' when a situation or series of events is getting more and more complicated and mysterious.
the tabloid press — (considered as a whole) newspapers with pages about 30 cm (12 inches) by 40 cm (16 inches), usually characterized by an emphasis on photographs and a concise and often sensational style
the whole boiling — the whole lot
theatricalization — to put into dramatic or theatrical form; dramatize.
thermal diffusion — the separation of constituents, often isotopes, of a fluid under the influence of a temperature gradient.
thermal expansion — expansion caused by heat
thermal pollution — a rise in the temperature of rivers or lakes that is injurious to water-dwelling life and is caused by the disposal of heated industrial waste water or water from the cooling towers of nuclear power plants.
thermal radiation — electromagnetic radiation emitted by all matter above a temperature of absolute zero because of the thermal motion of atomic particles.
thermocoagulation — the coagulation of tissue by heat-producing high-frequency electric currents, used therapeutically to remove small growths or to create specific lesions in the brain.
thermoelectricity — electricity generated by heat or temperature difference, as in a thermocouple.
thiopental sodium — a barbiturate, C 11 H 18 N 2 NaO 2 S, used as an anesthetic in surgery and, in psychiatry, for narcoanalysis and to stimulate recall of past events.
three-dimensional — having, or seeming to have, the dimension of depth as well as width and height.
tiger swallowtail — a yellow swallowtail butterfly, Papilio glaucus, of eastern North America, having the forewings striped with black.
to be eaten alive — If you say that someone will be eaten alive, you mean that they will be completely destroyed or defeated by someone who is much stronger.
to eat humble pie — If you eat humble pie, you speak or behave in a way which tells people that you admit you were wrong about something.
to hit the bottle — If someone hits the bottle, they drink a lot of alcohol.
to little purpose — with little (or no) result or effect; pointlessly
to lose your grip — If you lose your grip, you become less efficient and less confident, and less able to deal with things.
to lose your mind — If you say that someone is losing their mind, you mean that they are becoming mad.
to oil the wheels — If someone or something oils the wheels of a process or system, they help things to run smoothly and successfully.
to play it by ear — If you play it by ear, you decide what to say or do in a situation by responding to events rather than by following a plan which you have decided on in advance.
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 the lighthouse — a novel (1927) by Virginia Woolf.
topological space — a set with a collection of subsets or open sets satisfying the properties that the union of open sets is an open set, the intersection of two open sets is an open set, and the given set and the empty set are open sets.
torricellian tube — a vertical glass tube partly evacuated and partly filled with mercury, the height of which is used as a measure of atmospheric pressure
tortoiseshell cat — a domestic cat, especially a female one, of variegated black, yellow, and white coloring.
traffic policeman — a policeman controlling traffic, esp while stationed at an intersection, or enforcing traffic regulations
transmission line — a system of conductors, as coaxial cable, a wave guide, or a pair of parallel wires, used to transmit signals.
travelling people — Gypsies or other itinerant people: a term used esp by such people of themselves
triboluminescence — luminescence produced by friction, usually within a crystalline substance.
trichloroethylene — a colorless, poisonous liquid, C 2 HCl 3 , used chiefly as a degreasing agent for metals and as a solvent, especially in dry cleaning, for fats, oils, and waxes. Abbreviation: TCE.
tridimensionality — having three dimensions.
trifoliate orange — a spiny, Chinese orange tree, Poncirus trifoliata, used as a stock in grafting and for hedges.
troilus butterfly — spicebush swallowtail.
tropical maritime — a type of warm, wet air mass originating at low latitudes over ocean areas
tropical medicine — the branch of medicine dealing with the study and treatment of diseases occurring in the tropics.
trucial sheikdoms — an independent federation in E Arabia, formed in 1971, now comprising seven emirates on the S coast (formerly, Pirate Coast or Trucial Coast) of the Persian Gulf, formerly under British protection: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Qaiwain, Ras al-Khaimah (joined 1972), and Fujairah. About 32,300 sq. mi. (83,657 sq. km). Capital: Abu Dhabi. Abbreviation: U.A.E.
turkish towelling — woven cloth which is used to make towels, wash cloths, etc

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