15-letter words containing p, e, r, f
- self-protection — protection of oneself or itself.
- self-respecting — You can use self-respecting with a noun describing a particular type of person to indicate that something is typical of, or necessary for, that type of person.
- self-supporting — the supporting or maintaining of oneself or itself without reliance on outside aid.
- simple fraction — a ratio of two integers.
- simple fracture — a fracture in which the bone does not pierce the skin.
- snafu principle — /sna'foo prin'si-pl/ [WWII Army acronym for "Situation Normal: All Fucked Up"] "True communication is possible only between equals, because inferiors are more consistently rewarded for telling their superiors pleasant lies than for telling the truth." - a central tenet of Discordianism, often invoked by hackers to explain why authoritarian hierarchies screw up so reliably and systematically. The effect of the SNAFU principle is a progressive disconnection of decision-makers from reality. This lightly adapted version of a fable dating back to the early 1960s illustrates the phenomenon perfectly: In the beginning was the plan, and then the specification; And the plan was without form, and the specification was void. And darkness was on the faces of the implementors thereof; And they spake unto their leader, saying: "It is a crock of shit, and smells as of a sewer." And the leader took pity on them, and spoke to the project leader: "It is a crock of excrement, and none may abide the odor thereof." And the project leader spake unto his section head, saying: "It is a container of excrement, and it is very strong, such that none may abide it." The section head then hurried to his department manager, and informed him thus: "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength." The department manager carried these words to his general manager, and spoke unto him saying: "It containeth that which aideth the growth of plants, and it is very strong." And so it was that the general manager rejoiced and delivered the good news unto the Vice President. "It promoteth growth, and it is very powerful." The Vice President rushed to the President's side, and joyously exclaimed: "This powerful new software product will promote the growth of the company!" And the President looked upon the product, and saw that it was very good. After the subsequent disaster, the suits protect themselves by saying "I was misinformed!", and the implementors are demoted or fired.
- spanish trefoil — alfalfa.
- spare no effort — do all you can
- special feature — an article differing from the normal format and focusing on a particular topic
- specific charge — the ratio of the charge on a particle to the mass of the particle.
- spelling reform — an attempt to change the spelling of English words to make it conform more closely to pronunciation.
- spirits of wine — alcohol (def 1).
- stiff upper lip — stoicism
- subprofessional — being below professional standards: subprofessional health care.
- sulfite process — a process for making wood pulp by digesting wood chips in an acid liquor consisting of sulfurous acid and a salt, usually calcium bisulfite.
- super-efficient — performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort; having and using requisite knowledge, skill, and industry; competent; capable: a reliable, efficient assistant.
- superconfidence — great or extreme confidence, overconfidence
- superefficiency — the quality or condition of being superefficient
- superficialness — being at, on, or near the surface: a superficial wound.
- superfluousness — being more than is sufficient or required; excessive.
- surface-ripened — (of cheese) ripened on the surface by molds or other microorganisms.
- theory of types — a theory advanced by Bertrand Russell to avoid the liar paradox, Russell's paradox, etc, in which a class of expressions or of the entities they represent can all enter into the same syntactic relations
- traffic pattern — Aeronautics. a system of courses about an airfield that aircraft are assigned to fly when taking off, landing, or preparing to land.
- treaty of paris — a treaty of 1763 signed by Britain, France, and Spain that ended their involvement in the Seven Years' War
- trifluoperazine — a compound, C 21 H 24 F 3 N 3 S, used as an antipsychotic.
- unfair practice — unfair competition.
- upright freezer — a freezer that is tall rather than wide
- venus's-flytrap — a carnivorous plant, Dionaea muscipula, native to bogs of North and South Carolina, having roundish leaves with two lobes that close like a trap when certain delicate hairs on them are irritated, as by a fly: the range is now reduced, though the plants are still locally abundant.
- weatherproofing — Present participle of weatherproof.
- work oneself up — become overwrought