17-letter words containing p, i, r, o
- proof of identity — a document or documents used to verify someone's identity
- propanedioic acid — a colourless crystalline compound occurring in sugar beet. Formula: C3H4O4,CH2(COOH)2
- propelling pencil — a pencil consisting of a metal or plastic case containing a replaceable lead. As the point is worn away the lead can be extended, usually by turning part of the case
- property mistress — a female member of the stage crew in charge of the stage properties
- proportional font — a font type in which the width of letters and symbols varies depending on the letter or symbol
- proprietary brand — a brand of product that is privately owned and controlled
- prosperity gospel — a modern version or, according to some, perversion of the gospel according to which the full blessings of God available to those who approach Him in faith and obedience include wealth, health and power
- prostatic utricle — a small pouch near the prostate gland that opens into the urethra.
- protected species — a species of animal or plant which it is forbidden by law to harm or destroy
- protection factor — a figure representing the relative degree of protection from the sun's rays afforded by a particular sunscreen
- protection racket — a criminal activity in which money gangsters extort money from victims in exchange for freedom from molestation
- protective system — protectionism (def 1).
- protective tariff — a tariff levied on imports to protect the domestic economy rather than to raise revenue
- protein synthesis — the process by which amino acids are linearly arranged into proteins through the involvement of ribosomal RNA, transfer RNA, messenger RNA, and various enzymes.
- prothoracic gland — either of a pair of endocrine glands in the anterior thorax of some insects, functioning to promote the series of molts from hatching to adulthood.
- proton microscope — a powerful type of microscope that uses a beam of protons, giving high resolution and sharp contrast
- provincial police — (in Canada) the police force of a province, esp Ontario or Quebec
- provincialization — to make provincial in character.
- prusso-danish war — a war of 1864 between Prussia and Denmark by which Denmark lost Schleswig-Holstein.
- pseudo-aggressive — characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offensives, attacks, invasions, or the like; militantly forward or menacing: aggressive acts against a neighboring country.
- pseudo-democratic — pertaining to or of the nature of democracy or a democracy.
- pseudo-historical — of, pertaining to, treating, or characteristic of history or past events: historical records; historical research.
- pseudo-moralistic — a person who teaches or inculcates morality.
- psychographically — Psychology. a graph indicating the relative strength of the personality traits of an individual.
- psychometric test — a test designed to test a person's mental state, personality and thought processes
- psychoprophylaxis — Lamaze method.
- psychotherapeutic — psychotherapy.
- pterygoid process — either of two long bony plates extending downwards from each side of the sphenoid bone within the skull
- public prosecutor — an officer charged with the conduct of criminal prosecution in the interest of the public.
- publicity officer — a person who is employed to get publicity for an organization, or to provide information about it
- pull your head in — be quiet!
- purple of cassius — a purple pigment precipitated as a sol by the interaction of gold chloride and a solution of stannic acid and stannous chloride: used chiefly in the manufacture of ruby glass, ceramic glazes, and enamels.
- put in a word for — to make favourable mention of (someone); recommend
- put into practice — If you put a belief or method into practice, you behave or act in accordance with it.
- put the finger on — to inform on or identify, esp for the police
- pyroligneous acid — a yellowish, acidic, water-soluble liquid, containing about 10 percent acetic acid, obtained by the destructive distillation of wood: used for smoking meats.
- pyrosulfuric acid — a strong, crystalline acid, H2S2O7, prepared commercially as a heavy, oily, fuming liquid: used in making explosives and dyes, as a sulfating agent, etc.
- radiation pattern — the graphic representation of the strength and direction of electromagnetic radiation in the vicinity of a transmitting aerial
- radiation therapy — x-rays used as treatment
- radio in the loop — Wireless Local Loop
- radio-transparent — transparent to radiation; invisible in x-ray photographs and under fluoroscopy (opposed to radiopaque).
- radiometeorograph — a device for the automatic transmission by radio of the data from a set of meteorological instruments
- rapid prototyping — (programming) The creation of a working model of a software module to demonstrate the feasibility and suitability of the function. The prototype is expected to be replaced or refined before inclusion in the final product. Rapid prototyping contrasts with a DIRFT approach which emphasises careful design and implementation to avoid the overheads of debugging and testing prototype code. Rapid prototyping is appropriate when the requirements are unclear or likely to change (which is most of the time).
- recoil escapement — anchor escapement.
- recovery position — a position in which an unconscious person can be lain on the floor, which minimises them from further risk
- redemption center — a commercial establishment at which trading stamps of a specific brand may be exchanged for merchandise.
- reflexive pronoun — A reflexive pronoun is a pronoun such as 'myself' which refers back to the subject of a sentence or clause. For example, in the sentence 'He made himself a cup of tea', the reflexive pronoun 'himself' refers back to 'he'.
- reformed spelling — a revised orthography intended to simplify the spelling of English words, especially to eliminate unpronounced letters, as by substituting thru for through, tho for though, slo for slow, etc.
- refractory period — a short period after a nerve or muscle cell fires during which the cell cannot respond to additional stimulation.
- rehospitalization — the act, process, or state of being hospitalized.