15-letter words containing s, e, a, u
- semi-functional — of or relating to a function or functions: functional difficulties in the administration.
- semi-industrial — of, pertaining to, of the nature of, or resulting from industry: industrial production; industrial waste.
- semidocumentary — a film or television programme that is fictional but includes many factual events or details
- semilunar valve — either of two valves, one in the aorta and one in the pulmonary artery, consisting of a set of three crescent-shaped flaps of tissue and serving to prevent blood from flowing back into the heart after contraction.
- semimanufacture — a product which forms an intermediate stage in the manufacture of another, often more complex product
- semitranslucent — imperfectly or almost translucent.
- senkaku islands — a group of uninhabited islets in the East China Sea; claimed by China and Japan
- serous membrane — any of various thin membranes, as the peritoneum, that line certain cavities of the body and exude a serous fluid.
- serum hepatitis — hepatitis B.
- sesquicarbonate — a salt intermediate in composition between a carbonate and a bicarbonate or consisting of the two combined.
- sesquicentenary — a hundred and fiftieth anniversary
- seven-card stud — a variety of poker in which each player is dealt one card face down in each of the first two rounds, one card face up in each of the next four rounds, and one card face down in the last round, each of the last five rounds being followed by a betting interval. Compare stud poker (def 1).
- sexual equality — the same status, rights, and responsibilities for male and female people
- sexual politics — the differences in the amount of power that male and female people have in a society or group
- shalosh seudoth — the last of the three prescribed Sabbath meals, taken after Minhah and before the evening service.
- shoulder charge — an instance of a player charging into another so that there is contact between their shoulders (permissible in some circumstances)
- shoulder season — a travel season between peak and off-peak seasons, especially spring and fall, when fares tend to be relatively low.
- shoulder weapon — a firearm that is fired while being held in the hands with the butt of the weapon braced against the shoulder.
- shut one's face — to be silent
- shutter release — a button or similar device used to actuate a camera shutter.
- siberian squill — a bulbous, Eurasian plant, Scilla siberica, of the lily family, having nodding, deep blue flowers.
- silver quandong — an Australian tree, Elaeocarpus grandis: family Elaeocarpaceae
- simple equation — linear equation
- simple fracture — a fracture in which the bone does not pierce the skin.
- sinai peninsula — broad peninsula in NE Egypt, between the Gulf of Suez & the Gulf of Aqaba
- sled cultivator — go-devil (def 5).
- sleeping beauty — a beautiful princess, the heroine of a popular fairy tale, awakened from a charmed sleep by the kiss of the prince who is her true love.
- 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.
- snapping turtle — either of two large, edible, freshwater turtles of the family Chelydridae, of North and Central America, having a large head and powerful hooked jaws, especially the common snapping turtle, Chelydra serpentina.
- social security — (usually initial capital letters) a program of old-age, unemployment, health, disability, and survivors insurance maintained by the U.S. federal government through compulsory payments by specific employer and employee groups.
- sodium arsenite — a white or grayish-white, water-soluble, poisonous powder, NaAsO 2 , used chiefly in arsenical soaps for hides, as an insecticide, and as a weed-killer.
- sodium benzoate — a white crystalline soluble compound used as an antibacterial and antifungal agent in preserving food (E211), as an antiseptic, and in making dyes and pharmaceuticals. Formula: (C6H5COO)Na
- sodium chlorate — a colorless, water-soluble solid, NaClO 3 , cool and salty to the taste, used chiefly in the manufacture of explosives and matches, as a textile mordant, and as an oxidizing and bleaching agent.
- sodium citrates — the sodium salts of citric acid (monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate)
- sodium ethylate — a white, hygroscopic powder, C 2 H 5 ONa, that is decomposed by water into sodium hydroxide and alcohol: used chiefly in organic synthesis.
- sodium silicate — a substance having the general formula, Na2O.xSiO2, where x varies between 3 and 5, existing as an amorphous powder or present in a usually viscous aqueous solution
- sodium stearate — Sodium stearate is a salt of stearic acid used as a surfactant (= a substance that reduces the surface tension of a liquid and allows it to foam) in order to aid the solubility of hydrophobic substances in oral medicines.
- sodium sulphate — a solid white substance that occurs naturally as thenardite and is usually used as the white anhydrous compound (salt cake) or the white crystalline decahydrate (Glauber's salt) in making glass, detergents, and pulp. Formula: Na2SO4
- sostenuto pedal — a pedal on a grand piano that raises the dampers, allowing the tone to be sustained for those strings struck at the time the pedal is depressed.
- sound as a bell — in perfect condition
- sound deadening — a process or material that reduces the resonance or volume of sound
- source language — the language in which a text appears that is to be translated into another language. Compare target language (def 1).
- source material — original, authoritative, or basic materials utilized in research, as diaries or manuscripts.
- south china sea — a part of the W Pacific, bounded by SE China, Vietnam, the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and the Philippines.
- south milwaukee — a city in SE Wisconsin.
- south salt lake — a town in N Utah.
- south-southeast — the point on the compass midway between south and southeast.
- southeast asian — the countries and land area of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.
- southeastwardly — toward the southeast
- southend-on-sea — a seaport in SE Essex, in SE England, on Thames estuary.