20-letter words containing s, f

software methodology — (programming) The study of how to navigate through each phase of the software process model (determining data, control, or uses hierarchies, partitioning functions, and allocating requirements) and how to represent phase products (structure charts, stimulus-response threads, and state transition diagrams).
soke of peterborough — a former administrative unit of E central England, generally considered part of Northamptonshire or Huntingdonshire: absorbed into Cambridgeshire in 1974
solitary confinement — the confinement of a prisoner in a cell or other place in which he or she is completely isolated from others.
span of apprehension — the maximum number of objects that can be correctly assessed after a brief presentation
spanish west african — of or relating to the former Spanish overseas territory of Spanish West Africa (now the overseas provinces of Ifni and Spanish Sahara) or its inhabitants
specific conductance — conductivity (def 2).
specific performance — (especially in the sale of land) literal compliance with one's contractual promises pursuant to a judicial mandate.
specific-conductance — conductivity (def 2).
spiral of archimedes — a curve that is the locus of a point that moves outward with uniform speed along a vector, beginning at the origin, while the vector rotates about the origin with uniform angular velocity. Equation (in polar coordinates): r = aθ.
spirit of enterprise — the motivation to set up and succeed in business or commerce
spirits of hartshorn — a colorless, pungent, suffocating, aqueous solution of about 28.5 percent ammonia gas: used chiefly as a detergent, for removing stains and extracting certain vegetable coloring agents, and in the manufacture of ammonium salts.
split the difference — the state or relation of being different; dissimilarity: There is a great difference between the two.
spread like wildfire — If something, especially news or a rumour, spreads like wildfire, it spreads extremely quickly.
square of opposition — a diagrammatic representation of the opposition of categorical propositions.
squirrel's-foot fern — ball fern.
staff of aesculapius — a representation of a forked staff with an entwining serpent, used as a symbol of the medical profession and as the insignia of the American Medical Association and other medical organizations. Compare caduceus (def 2).
staff sergeant major — a noncommissioned officer equivalent in rank to a command sergeant major but having no command responsibility.
stare sb in the face — If a situation or the answer to a problem is staring you in the face, it is very obvious, although you may not be immediately aware of it.
states of the church — Papal States
stefan-boltzmann law — the law stating that the total energy radiated from a blackbody is proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature.
strike off the rolls — to expel from membership
strong nuclear force — an interaction between elementary particles responsible for the forces between nucleons in the nucleus. It operates at distances less than about 10–15 metres, and is about a hundred times more powerful than the electromagnetic interaction
sufficient condition — a statement whose truth is sufficient to guarantee the truth of a given statement
surface-active agent — any substance that when dissolved in water or an aqueous solution reduces its surface tension or the interfacial tension between it and another liquid.
symmetric difference — the union of the relative complements of two sets.
that makes two of us — the same applies to me
the course of nature — the ordinary course of events
the eye of the storm — If you say that someone or something is at the eye of the storm, you mean they are the main subject of a public disagreement.
the founding fathers — any of the men who were members of the U.S. Constituional Convention of 1787
the gnomes of zurich — Swiss bankers and financiers
the legal profession — the profession of law
the like(s) of which — If you refer to something the like of which or the likes of which has never been seen before, you are emphasizing how important, great, or noticeable the thing is.
the price of someone — what someone deserves, esp a fitting punishment
the shit hit the fan — If someone says that the shit hit the fan, they mean that there was suddenly a lot of trouble or angry arguments.
the sum total of sth — all of something
the way of the cross — a series of images in a church or along a road to a church etc depicting the last hours of Christ
the-comedy-of-errors — an early comedy (1594) by Shakespeare.
there is no call for — If you say that there is no call for someone to behave in a particular way, you are criticizing their behaviour, usually because you think it is rude.
theresa of avila, st — Saint. Also, Teresa. Also called Theresa of Avila [ah-vee-lah] /ˈɑ viˌlɑ/ (Show IPA), 1515–82, Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and writer.
third-party software — software created by programmers or publishers independent of the manufacturer of the hardware for which it is intended.
this time, for sure! — (exclamation) Ritual affirmation frequently uttered during protracted debugging sessions involving numerous small obstacles (e.g. attempts to bring up a UUCP connection). For the proper effect, this must be uttered in a fruity imitation of Bullwinkle J. Moose. Also heard: "Hey, Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit out of my hat!" The canonical response is, of course, "But that trick *never* works!" See hacker humour.
thomas of erceldoune — Thomas of, Thomas of Erceldoune.
thorn in one's flesh — a sharp excrescence on a plant, especially a sharp-pointed aborted branch; spine; prickle.
thought transference — transference of thought by extrasensory means from the mind of one individual to another; telepathy.
to burst into flames — If something bursts into flames or bursts into flame, it suddenly starts burning strongly.
to fall on deaf ears — If a request falls on deaf ears or if the person to whom the request is made turns a deaf ear to it, they take no notice of it.
to flex your muscles — If a group, organization, or country flexes its muscles, it does something to impress or frighten people, in order to show them that it has power and is considering using it.
to flog a dead horse — If you say that someone is flogging a dead horse, you mean that they are trying to achieve something impossible.
to get off sb's back — If you tell someone to get off your back, you are telling them angrily to stop criticizing you or putting pressure on you.
to have it in for sb — If someone has it in for you, they do not like you and they want to make life difficult for you.

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