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15-letter words containing t, a, e

  • artificial gene — a duplicate gene synthesized in the laboratory by combining nucleotides in a sequence characteristic of the copied gene.
  • artificial life — (algorithm, application)   (a-life) The study of synthetic systems which behave like natural living systems in some way. Artificial Life complements the traditional biological sciences concerned with the analysis of living organisms by attempting to create lifelike behaviours within computers and other artificial media. Artificial Life can contribute to theoretical biology by modelling forms of life other than those which exist in nature. It has applications in environmental and financial modelling and network communications. There are some interesting implementations of artificial life using strangely shaped blocks. A video, probably by the company Artificial Creatures who build insect-like robots in Cambridge, MA (USA), has several mechanical implementations of artificial life forms. See also evolutionary computing, Life.
  • artificialness' — made by human skill; produced by humans (opposed to natural): artificial flowers.
  • artillery plant — any of various tropical urticaceous plants of the genus Pilea, such as P. microphylla, all having stamens that discharge their pollen explosively
  • as best one can — If someone does something as best they can, they do it as well as they can, although it is very difficult.
  • as often as not — If you say that something happens as often as not, or more often than not, you mean that it happens fairly frequently, and that this can be considered as typical of the kind of situation you are talking about.
  • asbestos cement — a compound of asbestos fiber and Portland cement formerly used for various nonstructural building purposes.
  • ascribed status — the social position assigned to a person on the basis of kinship, ethnic group, sex, etc.
  • asiatic cholera — cholera (def 1).
  • asset-stripping — If a person or company is involved in asset-stripping, they buy companies cheaply, sell off their assets to make a profit, and then close the companies down.
  • assistant judge — a person who assists a judge in their work or who is not yet fully qualified as a judge
  • assisted living — Assisted living is a type of housing specially designed for people who need help in their everyday lives, but who do not need specialist nursing care. In assisted living facilities, residents live in independent rooms or apartments, but receive help with day-to-day activities, for example bathing, dressing, preparing meals, and taking their medicines.
  • assured tenancy — an agreement between a government-approved body such as a housing association and a tenant for occupation of a newly-built house or flat at an agreed market rent, under which the tenant has security of tenure
  • astrophotometry — the measurement of the intensity of light of celestial objects.
  • asymmetric bars — a pair of wooden or fibreglass bars placed parallel to each other but set at different heights, for various exercises
  • asymmetric time — musical time consisting of an odd number of beats in each bar divided into uneven combinations, such as 3 + 2, 4 + 3, 2 + 3 + 2, etc
  • as…as they come — the most characteristic example of a class or type
  • at arm's length — If you hold something at arm's length, you hold it away from your body with your arm straight.
  • at death's door — If you say that someone is at death's door, you mean they are very ill indeed and likely to die.
  • at first glance — If you say that something is true or seems to be true at first glance, you mean that it seems to be true when you first see it or think about it, but that your first impression may be wrong.
  • at full stretch — If you are at full stretch, your arm is straight and extended as far as possible, usually because you are trying to reach something that is almost too far away.
  • at right angles — If two things are at right angles, they are situated so that they form an angle of 90° where they touch each other. You can also say that one thing is at right angles to another.
  • at sbs instance — If you do something at someone's instance, you do it because they have ordered or requested you to do it.
  • at short notice — Notice is used in expressions such as 'at short notice', 'at a moment's notice' or 'at twenty-four hours' notice', to indicate that something can or must be done within a short period of time.
  • at the controls — If someone is at the controls of a machine or other piece of equipment, they are operating it.
  • at the earliest — At the earliest means not before the date or time mentioned.
  • at the hands of — If someone experiences a particular kind of treatment, especially unpleasant treatment, at the hands of a person or organization, they receive it from them.
  • at the mercy of — in the power of
  • at the point of — very close to; on the verge of
  • at the touch of — You use at the touch of in expressions such as at the touch of a button and at the touch of a key to indicate that something is possible by simply touching a switch or one of the keys of a keyboard.
  • at your service — You can use 'at your service' after your name as a formal way of introducing yourself to someone and saying that you are willing to help them in any way you can.
  • atherosclerosis — a degenerative disease of the arteries characterized by patchy thickening of the inner lining of the arterial walls, caused by deposits of fatty material; a form of arteriosclerosis
  • atherosclerotic — Of, pertaining to, or afflicted with atherosclerosis.
  • athlete's heart — enlargement of the heart, caused by continued, heavy physical exertion
  • athletic sports — sports, esp track and field events, in which athleticism is required
  • atlantic ridley — ridley (def 1).
  • atlantic-ridley — ridley (def 1).
  • atmospherically — pertaining to, existing in, or consisting of the atmosphere: atmospheric vapors.
  • atrabiliousness — The state or quality of being characterized by melancholy or glumness.
  • attitude survey — a survey of the opinions held by a particular group of people
  • attorney-at-law — a lawyer qualified to represent in court a party to a legal action
  • audience rating — a figure based on statistical sampling indicating what proportion of the total listening and viewing audience tune in to a specific programme or network
  • audio equipment — electrical devices used to play or record sound
  • auditor general — (in Canada) a federal official responsible for auditing government departments and making an annual report
  • audubon society — a North American organization devoted to the conservancy of birds
  • augmented roman — a writing system based on an expanded English alphabet, consisting of 43 characters representing different phonemes of spoken English, used for teaching beginners to read. Abbreviation: I.T.A., i.t.a.
  • augmented sixth — an interval greater than a major sixth by a chromatic half step.
  • augusta emerita — a market town in W Spain, in Extremadura, on the Guadiana River: founded in 25 bc; became the capital of Lusitania and one of the chief cities of Iberia. Pop: 52 110 (2003 est)
  • augusta gregory — Lady Augusta (Isabella Augusta Persse) 1852–1932, Irish dramatist.
  • augustus caesar — Also called Octavian (before 27 b.c.)(Gaius Julius Caesar Octavianus; Augustus Caesar) 63 b.c.–a.d. 14, first Roman emperor 27 b.c.–a.d. 14: reformer, patron of arts and literature; heir and successor to Julius Caesar.
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