15-letter words containing s, e, r, u
- self-subversive — Also, subversionary [suh b-vur-zhuh-ner-ee, -shuh-] /səbˈvɜr ʒəˌnɛr i, -ʃə-/ (Show IPA). tending or intending to subvert or overthrow, destroy, or undermine an established or existing system, especially a legally constituted government or a set of beliefs.
- self-supporting — the supporting or maintaining of oneself or itself without reliance on outside aid.
- semi-articulate — uttered clearly in distinct syllables.
- semi-figurative — of the nature of or involving a figure of speech, especially a metaphor; metaphorical and not literal: The word “head” has several figurative senses, as in “She's the head of the company.”. Synonyms: metaphorical, not literal, symbolic.
- 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
- semisubmersible — Also called semisubmersible rig. a self-propelled barge that is mounted on partially submerged legs supported by underwater pontoons, rides at anchor, and serves as a work base and living quarters in deep offshore drilling operations.
- semitranslucent — imperfectly or almost translucent.
- senior lecturer — a university teacher who does not hold a professorship.
- sense of humour — Someone who has a sense of humour often finds things amusing, rather than being serious all the time.
- serendipitously — come upon or found by accident; fortuitous: serendipitous scientific discoveries.
- 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.
- service uniform — a uniform for routine duties and service, as distinguished from work, dress, or full-dress uniforms.
- servius tullius — Servius, Servius Tullius.
- 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).
- shoulder charge — an instance of a player charging into another so that there is contact between their shoulders (permissible in some circumstances)
- shoulder girdle — pectoral girdle (def 2).
- 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.
- shoulder-length — Shoulder-length hair is long enough to reach your shoulders.
- shutter release — a button or similar device used to actuate a camera shutter.
- shuttle service — transport going back and forth
- siberian squill — a bulbous, Eurasian plant, Scilla siberica, of the lily family, having nodding, deep blue flowers.
- sigmoid flexure — Zoology. an S -shaped curve in a body part.
- silicone rubber — any of the synthetic rubbers made from silicone elastomers.
- silver fluoride — a yellow or brownish, crystalline, water-soluble, hygroscopic solid, AgF, used chiefly as an antiseptic and disinfectant.
- silver quandong — an Australian tree, Elaeocarpus grandis: family Elaeocarpaceae
- simple fracture — a fracture in which the bone does not pierce the skin.
- single currency — a currency that is common to different countries
- sled cultivator — go-devil (def 5).
- sliver building — a very narrow skyscraper designed in response to restriction of the building site or zoning, frequently containing only a single apartment per floor or comparably limited office space.
- smoker's tongue — Pathology. leukoplakia in the mouth caused by irritation due to smoking.
- 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 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 chloride — salt1 (def 1).
- sodium citrates — the sodium salts of citric acid (monosodium citrate, disodium citrate, trisodium citrate)
- sodium fluoride — a colorless, crystalline, water-soluble, poisonous solid, NaF, used chiefly in the fluoridation of water, as an insecticide, and as a rodenticide.
- sodium peroxide — a yellowish-white, hygroscopic, water-soluble powder, Na 2 O 2 , used chiefly as a bleaching agent and as an oxidizing agent.
- 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.
- sojourner truth — Sojourner [soh-jur-ner,, soh-jur-ner] /ˈsoʊ dʒɜr nər,, soʊˈdʒɜr nər/ (Show IPA), (Isabella Van Wagener) 1797?–1883, U.S. abolitionist, orator, and women's-rights advocate, born a slave.
- soul-destroying — Activities or situations that are soul-destroying make you depressed, because they are boring or because there is no hope of improvement.
- sound recordist — recordist.