17-letter words containing m, o, d, e, l, t
- ethernet meltdown — A network meltdown on Ethernet.
- eyelet embroidery — a piece of embroidery decorated with such work
- foucault pendulum — a pendulum that demonstrates the rotation of the earth by exhibiting an apparent change in its plane of oscillation.
- fractal dimension — (mathematics) A common type of fractal dimension is the Hausdorff-Besicovich Dimension, but there are several different ways of computing fractal dimension. Fractal dimension can be calculated by taking the limit of the quotient of the log change in object size and the log change in measurement scale, as the measurement scale approaches zero. The differences come in what is exactly meant by "object size" and what is meant by "measurement scale" and how to get an average number out of many different parts of a geometrical object. Fractal dimensions quantify the static *geometry* of an object. For example, consider a straight line. Now blow up the line by a factor of two. The line is now twice as long as before. Log 2 / Log 2 = 1, corresponding to dimension 1. Consider a square. Now blow up the square by a factor of two. The square is now 4 times as large as before (i.e. 4 original squares can be placed on the original square). Log 4 / log 2 = 2, corresponding to dimension 2 for the square. Consider a snowflake curve formed by repeatedly replacing ___ with _/\_, where each of the 4 new lines is 1/3 the length of the old line. Blowing up the snowflake curve by a factor of 3 results in a snowflake curve 4 times as large (one of the old snowflake curves can be placed on each of the 4 segments _/\_). Log 4 / log 3 = 1.261... Since the dimension 1.261 is larger than the dimension 1 of the lines making up the curve, the snowflake curve is a fractal. [sci.fractals FAQ].
- full-motion video — (video) (FMV) Any kind of video that is theoretically capable of changing the entire content on the screen fast enough that the transitions are not obvious to the human eye, i.e. about 24 times a second or more. In practise most video encoding relies on the fact that in most video there is relatively little change from one frame to the next. This allows for compression of the video data. The term is used, chiefly in computer games, in contrast to techniques such as the use of sprites that move against a more-or-less fixed background.
- good-time charlie — an affable, sociable, pleasure-loving man.
- grandmother clock — a pendulum clock similar to a grandfather's clock but shorter.
- hairy-tailed mole — a blackish North American mole, Parascalops breweri, having a short, hairy tail.
- hardware platform — a group of compatible computers that can run the same software.
- heterochlamydeous — (of a plant) having a perianth consisting of distinct sepals and petals
- historical method — the process of establishing general facts and principles through attention to chronology and to the evolution or historical course of what is being studied.
- holistic medicine — incorporating the concept of holism, or the idea that the whole is more than merely the sum of its parts, in theory or practice: holistic psychology.
- homeland security — national defence
- hotel limo driver — A hotel limo driver is the person whose job it is to drive the hotel limo.
- hydrothermal vent — an opening on the floor of the sea from which hot, mineral-rich solutions issue. Compare vent1 (def 2).
- ideogrammatically — In terms of, or by means of, ideograms.
- imitation doublet — a doublet formed entirely of glass.
- injection molding — a method of forming thermoplastic or thermoset plastic, metal, or ceramic material by injection into a closed mold.
- ladder tournament — a tournament in which the entrants are listed by name and rank, advancement being by means of challenging and defeating an entrant ranked one or two places higher.
- lagrange's method — a procedure for finding maximum and minimum values of a function of several variables when the variables are restricted by additional conditions.
- lambdoidal suture — the lambda-shaped seam or line of joining between the occipital and two parietal bones at the back part of the skull.
- le morte d'arthur — a compilation and translation of French Arthurian romances by Sir Thomas Malory, printed by Caxton in 1485.
- liberal democrats — (in Britain) a political party with centrist policies; established in 1988 as the Social and Liberal Democrats when the Liberal Party merged with the Social Democratic Party; renamed Liberal Democrats in 1989
- liquid petrolatum — mineral oil.
- lithium hydroxide — a white, crystalline, water-soluble compound, LiOH, used to absorb carbon dioxide, especially in spacesuits.
- load displacement — the weight, in long tons, of a cargo vessel loaded so that the summer load line touches the surface of the water.
- lobster thermidor — a dish of cooked lobster meat placed back in the shell with a cream sauce, sprinkled with grated cheese and melted butter, and browned in the oven.
- locomotive driver — an engine driver
- lymphadenopathies — Plural form of lymphadenopathy.
- maintained school — a school financially supported by the state
- medium close shot — a shot taken fairly close to the subject, but not as close as a close-up
- medulla oblongata — the lowest or hindmost part of the brain, continuous with the spinal cord.
- methylidyne group — the trivalent group ≡CH.
- microencapsulated — Encapsulated using microencapsulation.
- mid-level network — (Or "regional network"). The kind of networks which make up the second level of the Internet hierarchy. They are the transit networks which connect the stub networks to the backbone networks.
- midterm elections — elections held halfway through the term of office of a president during which governors, etc, but not a president, are elected
- mileage indicator — a device on a vehicle such as a car, plane, etc which indicates the number of miles travelled
- mineralocorticoid — Biochemistry. any of a group of corticosteroid hormones, synthesized by the adrenal cortex, that regulate the excretion or reabsorption of sodium and potassium by the kidneys, salivary glands, and sweat glands.
- modern pentathlon — an athletic contest consisting of five different events: horse riding with jumps, fencing with electric épée, freestyle swimming, pistol shooting, and cross-country running
- modulo arithmetic — modular arithmetic
- most well studied — marked by or suggestive of conscious effort; not spontaneous or natural; affected: studied simplicity.
- mounted policeman — policemen who patrol on horseback
- movable-do system — a system of solmization in which the syllable do can be transposed to the tonic of any key.
- multi-directional — extending or operating in several directions at the same time; functioning or going in more than one direction: a multidirectional stereo speaker system.
- multitudinousness — The state or condition of being multitudinous.
- mundane astrology — the astrology of worldly events, in contrast to the astrology of the individual: used especially in interpretations and forecasts involving politics, the stock market, weather, and disasters.
- newfoundland time — a form of civil time observed on the island of Newfoundland, one and one-half hours later than Eastern time and a half hour later than Atlantic time.
- nondenominational — of or relating to a denomination or denominations.
- old contemptibles — the British expeditionary force to France in 1914
- organized militia — a former military organization functioning under both state and federal authority.