16-letter words containing s, u, f
- deferred success — (in Britain) a euphemism suggested as an alternative to ‘failure’, in order not to stigmatize pupils who have not achieved a pass in a particular subject
- descent function — If a recursive function is of the form f x = ... f (d x) ... then d is known as the descent function.
- dimethyl sulfate — a colorless or yellow, slightly water-soluble, poisonous liquid, (CH 3) 2 SO 2 , used chiefly in organic synthesis.
- disqualification — an act or instance of disqualifying.
- do oneself proud — to do extremely well
- do-it-yourselfer — an advocate or enthusiast of do-it-yourself
- duchess of malfi — a tragedy (1614?) by John Webster.
- dysfunctionality — (uncountable) The condition of being dysfunctional.
- eigenfrequencies — Plural form of eigenfrequency.
- error of closure — the amount by which a computed, plotted, or observed quantity or position differs from the true or established one, esp when plotting a closed traverse
- exhaust manifold — An exhaust manifold is a heat-resistant tube that connects an engine to an exhaust pipe.
- family of curves — a collection of curves whose equations differ only by values assigned a parameter or parameters.
- farmer's reducer — a solution of ferricyanide and hypo for reducing density and increasing contrast in a negative.
- farmhouse cheese — cheese that is made by traditional methods, on or as if on a farm
- farquhar islands — an island group in the Indian Ocean: administratively part of the Seychelles
- fashion business — the business dealing with style in clothes, cosmetics, behaviour, etc, esp the latest or most admired style
- fashion industry — the industry that deals with the world of fashion
- father-surrogate — a male who replaces an absent father and becomes an object of attachment.
- feminine caesura — a caesura occurring immediately after an unstressed or short syllable.
- 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
- ferruginous duck — a common European duck, Aythyra nyroca, having reddish-brown plumage with white wing bars
- fictitious force — any force that is postulated to account for apparent deviations from Newton's laws of motion appearing in an accelerated reference system.
- figure of speech — any expressive use of language, as a metaphor, simile, personification, or antithesis, in which words are used in other than their literal sense, or in other than their ordinary locutions, in order to suggest a picture or image or for other special effect. Compare trope (def 1).
- figure-conscious — concerned to keep an attractively slim body shape
- filterable virus — a virus particle small enough to pass through a filter of diatomaceous earth or porcelain, which will not pass bacteria: chiefly historical or an informal indicator of size, as synthetic membrane filters now permit passage of the smallest virus.
- finished product — the product that emerges at the end of a manufacturing process
- fire regulations — rules intended to make sure that people and property stay safe in the event of a fire
- first four ships — the earliest settlers' ships to arrive in the Canterbury Province
- first lieutenant — an officer ranking next above second lieutenant and next below a captain.
- first-time buyer — someone who is buying his or her first house
- fish or cut bait — any of various cold-blooded, aquatic vertebrates, having gills, commonly fins, and typically an elongated body covered with scales.
- fishing industry — the industry of catching fish
- fissure eruption — the emergence of lava from a fissure in the ground rather than from a volcanic cone or vent
- flashbulb memory — the clear recollections that a person may have of the circumstances associated with a dramatic event
- flight simulator — a device used in pilot and crew training that provides a cockpit environment and sensations of flight under actual conditions.
- fluorescent lamp — a tubular electric discharge lamp in which light is produced by the fluorescence of phosphors coating the inside of the tube.
- fluosilicic acid — an unstable acid, H 2 SiF 6 , known only in its colorless, poisonous, fuming aqueous solution or in the form of its salts: used chiefly as a wood preservative, a disinfectant, and as a hardening agent in the manufacture of ceramic ware, cement, and concrete.
- focused strategy — a business strategy in which an organization divests itself of all but its core activities, using the funds raised to enhance the distinctive abilities that give it an advantage over its rivals
- folk linguistics — speculation and popular views about language.
- follicular phase — a stage of the menstrual cycle, from onset of menstruation to ovulation.
- for a good cause — If you say that something is for a good cause, you mean that it is worth doing or giving to because it will help other people, for example by raising money for charity.
- for external use — If medicine is for external use, it is intended to be used only on the outside of your body, and not to be eaten or drunk.
- for good measure — a unit or standard of measurement: weights and measures.
- forbush decrease — the sudden decrease in the intensity of cosmic rays after an increase in solar activity.
- fort sam houston — a military reservation and U.S. Army training center in San Antonio, Tex.
- foundation stone — any of the stones composing the foundation of a building.
- founders' shares — shares awarded to the founders of a company and often granting special privileges
- four-course meal — A four-course meal is a meal that consists of four parts served one after the other.
- four-dimensional — of a space having points, or a set having elements, which require four coordinates for their unique determination.
- four-masted brig — jackass bark (def 2).