15-letter words containing s, p, u, n
- pressure center — the central point of an atmospheric high or low.
- pressure-piping — Pressure-piping is a set of pipes which are used to contain fluid at high pressure.
- pretentiousness — characterized by assumption of dignity or importance, especially when exaggerated or undeserved: a pretentious, self-important waiter.
- primary insurer — A primary insurer is the insurance company that first sells insurance to a client, who later purchases reinsurance.
- principal focus — focal point (def 1).
- prism binocular — Usually, prism binoculars. Optics. binocular (def 1).
- procrustean bed — a plan or scheme to produce uniformity or conformity by arbitrary or violent methods.
- proscenium arch — the arch separating the stage from the auditorium
- pseudepigraphon — any book of the Pseudepigrapha
- pseudo-bohemian — living a wandering or vagabond life, as a Gypsy.
- pseudo-national — of, relating to, or maintained by a nation as an organized whole or independent political unit: national affairs.
- pseudo-romantic — of, relating to, or of the nature of romance; characteristic or suggestive of the world of romance: a romantic adventure.
- pseudo-solution — a colloidal suspension in which the finely divided particles appear to be dissolved because they are so widely dispersed in the surrounding medium.
- pseudoephedrine — a dextrorotatory, isomeric compound, C 1 0 H 1 5 NO, used as a nasal decongestant.
- pseudohexagonal — of, relating to, or having the form of a hexagon.
- pseudonephritis — a condition, thought to be benign, in which microscopic amounts of blood and protein are present in the urine, occurring commonly among athletes after strenuous exercise.
- pseudopregnancy — Pathology, Veterinary Pathology. false pregnancy.
- pseudoscientist — a person who practises pseudoscience or who falsely assumes the title of scientist
- public interest — the welfare or well-being of the general public; commonwealth: health programs that directly affect the public interest.
- public nuisance — act, thing: anti-social
- public speaking — the act of delivering speeches in public.
- public spending — expenditure by central government, local authorities, and public enterprises
- publicity stunt — something done to attract publicity
- puffin crossing — a UK pedestrian road crossing with traffic lights signalling red to stop the traffic flow when pedestrians are seen on the crossing by infrared detectors. The green signal reappears when no pedestrians are seen on the crossing
- pulchritudinous — physically beautiful; comely.
- pull a fast one — moving or able to move, operate, function, or take effect quickly; quick; swift; rapid: a fast horse; a fast pain reliever; a fast thinker.
- pulsejet engine — a jet engine equipped with valves that continuously open to admit air, then close during combustion, giving a pulsating thrust: used to power the V-1, a German buzz bomb, in World War II.
- punctiliousness — extremely attentive to punctilios; strict or exact in the observance of the formalities or amenities of conduct or actions.
- pure and simple — sheer, utter
- pure land sects — Mahayana Buddhist sects venerating the Buddha as the compassionate saviour
- purposelessness — having no purpose or apparent meaning.
- purslane family — the plant family Portulacaceae, characterized by chiefly herbaceous plants having simple, often fleshy leaves, sometimes showy flowers, and capsular fruit, and including bitterroot, purslane, red maids, rose moss, and spring beauty.
- push one's luck — the force that seems to operate for good or ill in a person's life, as in shaping circumstances, events, or opportunities: With my luck I'll probably get pneumonia.
- pusillanimously — lacking courage or resolution; cowardly; faint-hearted; timid.
- put on the spot — If you put someone on the spot, you cause them to have to answer a difficult question or make a difficult decision.
- put oneself out — to move or place (anything) so as to get it into or out of a specific location or position: to put a book on the shelf.
- put the nips in — to exert pressure on someone, esp in order to extort money
- put years on sb — If you say that something such as an experience or a way of dressing has put years on someone, you mean that it has made them look or feel much older.
- quasi-dependent — relying on someone or something else for aid, support, etc.
- quasi-permanent — existing perpetually; everlasting, especially without significant change.
- queen's pattern — a pattern of ceramic decoration consisting of bands of swirling radial lines, white on blue alternating with red on white.
- queen's proctor — a British judiciary officer who may intervene in probate, nullity, or divorce actions when collusion, suppression of evidence, or other irregularities are alleged.
- query expansion — (information science) Adding search terms to a user's search. Query expansion is the process of a search engine adding search terms to a user's weighted search. The intent is to improve precision and/or recall. The additional terms may be taken from a thesaurus. For example a search for "car" may be expanded to: car cars auto autos automobile automobiles. The additional terms may also be taken from documents that the user has specified as being relevant; this is the basis for the "more like this" feature of some search engines. The extra terms can have positive or negative weights.
- question period — a period of time set aside each day for members of parliament to question government ministers
- refuelling stop — a stop made so that fresh fuel can be supplied (to an aircraft, vehicle, etc)
- renal corpuscle — Malpighian body (sense 2)
- rumpelstiltskin — a dwarf in a German folktale who spins flax into gold for a young woman to meet the demands of the prince she has married, on the condition that she give him her first child or else guess his name: she guesses his name and he vanishes or destroys himself in a rage.
- running repairs — repairs, as to a machine or vehicle, that are minor and can be made with little or no interruption in the use of the item
- salisbury plain — a plateau in S England, N of Salisbury: the site of Stonehenge.
- san luis obispo — a city in W California.