16-letter words containing o, r, a, i
- fisherman's knot — a knot for joining two ropes of equal thickness consisting of an overhand knot or double overhand knot by each rope round the other, so that the two knots jam when pulled tight
- flabbergastation — (colloquial) Bewildered shock or surprise; the state or condition of being flabbergasted.
- flame cultivator — an implement that kills weeds by scorching them with a directed flow of flaming gas.
- flash eliminator — a device fitted to the muzzle of a firearm to reduce the flash made by the ignited propellant gases
- flight formation — an arrangement of two or more airplanes flying together in a group, usually in a predetermined pattern.
- flight indicator — artificial horizon (def 3).
- flight simulator — a device used in pilot and crew training that provides a cockpit environment and sensations of flight under actual conditions.
- florencio varela — a city in E Argentina, near Buenos Aires.
- floridean starch — the storage polysaccharide of red algae.
- flotation collar — an inflatable device worn around the neck to keep the wearer afloat when in danger of drowning
- flower arranging — Flower arranging is the art or hobby of arranging cut flowers in a way which makes them look attractive.
- follicular phase — a stage of the menstrual cycle, from onset of menstruation to ovulation.
- food intolerance — an intolerance of a specific type of food, causing an adverse reaction
- food irradiation — the exposure of food to electromagnetic radiation to kill bacteria and retard deterioration
- fool around with — have casual sex
- for a/one minute — If you say that you do not believe for a minute or for one minute that something is true, you are emphasizing that you do not believe that it is true.
- for the duration — If you say that something will happen for the duration, you mean that it will happen for as long as a particular situation continues.
- for the meantime — For the meantime means for a period of time from now until something else happens.
- forbid the banns — to raise an objection to a marriage announced in this way
- forced vibration — Forced vibration is a type of vibration in which a force is repeatedly applied to a mechanical system.
- fore and aft rig — a sail set in a line from one end the other of a vessel rather than in a square
- fore-and-aft rig — a rig in which the principal sails are fore-and-aft.
- foreign exchange — commercial paper drawn on a person or corporation in a foreign nation.
- foreign language — language not one's mother tongue
- foreign national — citizen of another country
- formation flying — a formal arrangement of flying aircraft acting as a unit
- formation packer — A formation packer is a substance that is used as a seal between the casing and the borehole so that part of the hole can be tested.
- fortin barometer — an adjustable cistern barometer, the most common of those employing mercury.
- forward analysis — An analysis which determines properties of the output of a program from properties of the inputs.
- forward chaining — A data-driven technique used in constructing goals or reaching inferences derived from a set of facts. Forward chaining is the basis of production systems. Oppose backward chaining.
- forward delivery — delivery at a future date.
- forward planning — business: making future provisions
- forward-thinking — planning or tending to plan for the future; forward-looking.
- forwarding agent — freight forwarder.
- four-deal bridge — a version of bridge in which four hands only are played, the players then cutting for new partners
- four-dimensional — of a space having points, or a set having elements, which require four coordinates for their unique determination.
- four-masted brig — jackass bark (def 2).
- fourier analysis — the expression of any periodic function as a sum of sine and cosine functions, as in an electromagnetic wave function. Compare Fourier series.
- fraises des bois — wild strawberries
- francis joseph i — 1830–1916, emperor of Austria 1848–1916; king of Hungary 1867–1916.
- francis of paula — Saint, 1416–1507, Italian monk: founder of the order of Minims.
- francis of sales — Saint, 1567–1622, French ecclesiastic and writer on theology: bishop of Geneva 1602–22.
- francis townsend — Francis Everett, 1867–1960, U.S. physician and proposer of the Townsend plan.
- francisco franco — Francisco (Francisco Paulino Hermenegildo Teódulo Franco-Bahamonde"El Caudillo") 1892–1975, Spanish military leader and dictator: chief of state 1939–47; regent of the kingdom of Spain 1947–75.
- fraternity house — a house occupied by a college or university fraternity.
- fraunhofer lines — a set of dark lines appearing in the continuous emission spectrum of the sun. It is caused by the absorption of light of certain wavelengths coming from the hotter region of the sun by elements in the cooler outer atmosphere
- free association — the uncensored expression of the ideas, impressions, etc., passing through the mind of the analysand, a technique used to facilitate access to the unconscious.
- french indochina — an area in SE Asia, formerly a French colonial federation including Cochin-China, the protectorates of Annam, Cambodia, Tonkin, and Laos, and the leased territory of Kwangchowan: now comprising the three independent states of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. Capital: Hanoi.
- french polynesia — a French overseas territory in the S Pacific, including the Society Islands, Marquesas Islands, and other scattered island groups. 1544 sq. mi. (4000 sq. km). Capital: Papeete.
- friction gearing — wheels or disks transmitting power by means of frictional contact.