16-letter words containing s, p, a, t
- dew-point spread — the degrees of difference between the air temperature and the dew point
- diphosphorylated — (biochemistry) phosphorylated with two units of phosphoric acid.
- diphthongisation — The process by which a single vowel sound (monophthong) shifts to a two-vowel vocalization (diphthong).
- diplomatic corps — the entire body of diplomats accredited to and resident at a court or capital.
- disappearing act — magic trick
- disincorporation — to remove from an incorporated state or status.
- dispersing agent — a surface-active substance added to a suspension, usually a colloid, to improve the separation of particles and to prevent settling or clumping
- displacement ton — a unit for measuring the displacement of a vessel, equal to a long ton of 2240 pounds (1016 kg) or 35 cu. ft. (1 cu. m) of seawater.
- display standard — (hardware, standard) IBM and others have introduced a bewildering plethora of graphics and text display standards for IBM PCs. The standards are mostly implemented by plugging in a video display board (or "graphics adaptor") and connecting the appropriate monitor to it. Each new standard subsumes its predecessors. For example, an EGA board can also do CGA and MDA. With the PS/2, IBM introduced the VGA standard and built it into the main system board motherboard. VGA is also available as a plug-in board for PCs from third-party vendors. Also with the PS/2, IBM introduced the 8514 high-resolution graphics standard. An 8514 adaptor board plugs into the PS/2, providing a dual-monitor capability. Graphics software had to support the major IBM graphics standards and many non-IBM, proprietary standards for displays. Either software vendors provided display drivers or display vendors provided drivers for the software package. In either case, switching software or switching display systems was fraught with compatibility problems. More colours are available from third-party vendors for some display types. See also MDA, CGA, EGA, PGA, Hercules, MCGA, VGA, SVGA, 8514, VESA.
- display terminal — Visual Display Unit
- disproportionate — not proportionate; out of proportion, as in size or number.
- disputatiousness — The state or quality of being disputatious or argumentative; contentiousness.
- disreputableness — The state or quality of being disreputable or disgraceful; disreputability.
- domestic partner — either member of an unmarried, cohabiting, and especially homosexual couple that seeks benefits usually available only to spouses.
- domestic prelate — an honorary distinction conferred by the Holy See upon clergy, entitling them to some of the privileges of a bishop.
- dual citizenship — Also called dual nationality. the status of a person who is a legal citizen of two or more countries.
- dual personality — a disorder in which an individual possesses two dissociated personalities.
- earthly paradise — Bible: Garden of Eden
- easter sepulcher — sepulcher (def 2).
- easter-sepulcher — a tomb, grave, or burial place.
- eastern european — relating to, situated in or coming from Eastern Europe
- eastern whipbird — an Australian whipbird, Psophodes olivaceus
- ectoparasiticide — Any pesticide designed to kill parasites that live on the exterior of a host.
- eicosapentaenoic — Of or pertaining to eicosapentaenoic acid or its derivatives.
- electromyographs — Plural form of electromyograph.
- electrotherapist — One who administers electrotherapy.
- emancipationists — Plural form of emancipationist.
- escutcheon plate — a plate or shield that surrounds a keyhole, door handle, light switch, etc, esp an ornamental one protecting a door or wall surface
- etiopathogenesis — (medicine) The cause and subsequent development of an abnormal condition or of a disease.
- exceptionalities — Plural form of exceptionality.
- exemplifications — Plural form of exemplification.
- exemption clause — a clause in a contract that exempts one party from liability for something
- expansion bottle — a tank collecting coolant from a radiator while an engine is heated, and from which the coolant returns to the radiator when the engine cools
- experimentations — Plural form of experimentation.
- expert appraisal — a valuation of property or goods by an expert
- extemporaneously — In an extemporaneous manner; without prior preparation or planning.
- fat-tailed sheep — one of a class of sheep with much fat along the sides of the tail bones, raised for their meat and widely distributed in southeast Europe, northern Africa, and Asia.
- federalist party — a political group that favored the adoption by the states of the Constitution.
- ferrous sulphate — an iron salt with a saline taste, usually obtained as greenish crystals of the heptahydrate, which are converted to the white monohydrate above 100°C: used in inks, tanning, water purification, and in the treatment of anaemia. Formula: FeSO4
- fingertip search — When the police carry out a fingertip search of a place, they examine it for evidence in a very detailed way.
- flash in the pan — a brief, sudden burst of bright light: a flash of lightning.
- flash photolysis — the study of photochemical reaction mechanisms in gases by analyzing spectroscopically the reaction products in a gas mixture irradiated with a powerful light flash.
- fluorescent lamp — a tubular electric discharge lamp in which light is produced by the fluorescence of phosphors coating the inside of the tube.
- football special — a train service provided specially to transport football supporters to and from a match
- for pete's sake! — an expression of frustration, exasperation or annoyance
- four-star petrol — petrol containing lead, formerly sold in the UK
- freshwater pearl — any of the small pearls produced especially by freshwater mussels.
- fund supermarket — an online facility offering discounted investment opportunities and advice
- gastroesophageal — Of or relating to the stomach and to the esophagus.
- general hospital — A general hospital is a hospital that does not specialize in the treatment of particular illnesses or patients.