26-letter words containing t, r, o, p
- event description language — (language) (EDL)
- exponential-time algorithm — (complexity) An algorithm (or Turing Machine) that is guaranteed to terminate within a number of steps which is a exponential function of the size of the problem. For example, if you have to check every number of n digits to find a solution, the complexity is O(10^n), and if you add an extra digit, you must check ten times as many numbers. Even if such an algorithm is practical for some given value of n, it is likely to become impractical for larger values. This is in contrast to a polynomial-time algorithm which grows more slowly. See also computational complexity, polynomial-time, NP-complete.
- extemporaneous preparation — An extemporaneous preparation is a drug specially prepared by a pharmacist because an appropriate drug is not readily available.
- extended capabilities port — (hardware) (ECP) A parallel printer interface for IBM PC compatibles, supported by several, mainly US, manufacturers. Not to be confused with the more common Enhanced Capabilities Port.
- extended concurrent prolog — (language) (ECP) Concurrent Prolog with OR parallelism, set abstraction and meta-inference features.
- feast of st peter's chains — a former festival in England, held on August 1, in which bread made from the first harvest of corn was blessed.
- first-past-the-post system — a voting system in which a candidate may be elected by a simple majority rather than an absolute majority
- fixed-point representation — the representation of numbers by a single set of digits such that the radix point has a predetermined location, the value of the number depending on the position of each digit relative to the radix point
- floating-point accelerator — (hardware) (FPA) Additional hardware to perform functions on floating point numbers such as addition, multiplication, logarithms, exponentials, trigonometric functions and various kinds of rounding and error detection. A floating point accelerator often functions as a co-processor to the CPU. The term "floating-point accelerator" suggests a physically larger system, often an extra circuit board, whereas a "floating-point unit" is probably a single chip or even part of a chip.
- fourth generation computer — (architecture) A computer built using Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) integrated circuits, especially a microcomputer based on a microprocesseor, or a parallel processor containing two to thousands of CPUs. VLSI made it routine to fabricate an entire CPU, main memory, or similar device with a single integrated circuit that can be mass produced at very low cost. This has resulted in new classes of machines such as personal computers, and high performance parallel processors that contains thousands of CPUs.
- gastroesophageal sphincter — a ring of smooth muscle fibers connecting the esophagus and stomach.
- general protection failure — (GPF, or General Protection Fault) An addressing error, caught by the processor's memory protection hardware, that cannot be attributed to any expected condition such as a page fault.
- generic expert system tool — (artificial intelligence) (GEST) An expert system shell for Symbolics Lisp machine, with frames, forward chaining, backward chaining and fuzzy logic; written by John Gilmore(?) at GA Tech.
- german democratic republic — a former country in central Europe: created in 1949 from the Soviet zone of occupied Germany established in 1945: reunited with West Germany in 1990. 41,827 sq. mi. (108,333 sq. km). Capital: East Berlin.
- german shorthaired pointer — one of a German breed of large sporting dogs having a short hard coat, usually liver or liver and white in color, and a docked tail, used as a versatile hunting dog.
- german wire-haired pointer — one of a German breed of large sporting dogs having a harsh, wiry, flat-lying coat usually liver and white in color, a muzzle with a beard and whiskers, and a docked tail, used as a retrieving pointer.
- get (or have) the drop on — to draw and aim one's gun at (another) more quickly than the person can draw and aim at one
- get (or have) the jump on — to get (or have) an earlier start than and thus have an advantage over
- government printing office — the federal agency that prints and disseminates publications for other federal agencies. Abbreviation: G.P.O., GPO.
- grand army of the republic — an organization, founded in 1866, composed of men who served in the U.S. Army and Navy during the Civil War: its last member died in 1956. Abbreviation: G.A.R.
- grand canyon national park — a national park in N Arizona, including part of the Grand Canyon and the area around it. 1009 sq. mi. (2615 sq. km).
- greater spotted woodpecker — a black-and-white bird, Dendrocopos major, of the woodpecker family
- ground-controlled approach — a system in which an observer interprets radar observations of the position of an aircraft and transmits continuous instructions to its pilot for landing. Abbreviation: GCA.
- hoist with your own petard — If someone who has planned to harm someone else is hoist with their own petard or hoist by their own petard, their plan in fact results in harm to themselves.
- human resources department — the department in an organization dealing with matters involving employees, as hiring, training, labor relations, and benefits.
- human-computer interaction — (software, hardware) (HCI) The study of how humans interact with computers, and how to design computer systems that are easy, quick and productive for humans to use. See also Human-Computer Interface.
- hydrogenated glucose syrup — a syrup produced by the incomplete hydrolysis of starch followed by the hydrogenation of the glucose syrup, and used as a sweetener in confectionery, etc
- integrated data processing — IDP.
- interactive voice response — (communications) (IVR)
A telecommunications system, prevelant with PBX and voice mail systems, that uses a prerecorded database of voice messages to present options to a user, typically over telephone lines. User input is retrieved via DTMF tone key presses. When used in conjunction with voice mail, for example, these systems typically allow users to store, retrieve, and route messages, as well as interact with an underlying database server which may allow for automated transactions and data processing. (15 Sept 1997) - international reply coupon — a coupon that can be exchanged for postage stamps to send a letter to a foreign country. It is used to reimburse a correspondent for postage without having to deal with foreign currencies
- javascript object notation — (programming) (JSON) Syntax for serialising JavaScript objects, often used as a data carrier format. JSON is based on a subset of the JavaScript programming language. It uses a file extension of .json and is considered a language-independent data format.
- jump down someone's throat — the passage from the mouth to the stomach or to the lungs, including the pharynx, esophagus, larynx, and trachea.
- justice of the peace court — (in Scotland, formerly) a court with limited criminal jurisdiction held by justices of the peace in counties: replaced in 1975 by the district court
- keep someone on their toes — If you say that someone or something keeps you on your toes, you mean that they cause you to remain alert and ready for anything that might happen.
- keep your eye on something — If you keep an eye on something or someone, you watch them carefully, for example to make sure that they are satisfactory or safe, or not causing trouble.
- kings canyon national park — a national park in E California: deep granite gorges; giant sequoias; mountains. 708 sq. mi. (1835 sq. km).
- knee-high to a grasshopper — very young or very small
- law of multiple proportion — the statement that where two elements can combine to form more than one compound, the ratio by weight of one element to a given weight of the second is usually a small whole number.
- macintosh operating system — (operating system) (Mac OS) Apple Computer, Inc.'s proprietary operating system for their Macintosh family of personal computers. The part of the operating system that simulates the desktop is called "Finder." The multitasking version of Finder was called "MultiFinder" until multitasking was integrated into the core of the OS with the introduction of System 7.0 in 1990. The Macintosh series provides a built-in graphics language, called "QuickDraw", which provides a standard for software developers. Mac OS 8, scheduled for delivery in July 1997, included new human-interface features, increased system stability and performance, a PowerPC processor-native Finder, tighter integration of Internet access through panel-based "assistants," Personal Web Sharing and the ability to run Java applets and programs through Mac OS Run Time for Java. Version 9.2 was the last version of the bespoke Mac OS. The next version, Mac OS X is quite different, being based on Unix. See also Macintosh file system, Macintosh user interface.
- mainstream corporation tax — (in Britain) the balance of the corporation tax formerly paid by a company for an accounting period after the advance corporation tax had been deducted
- mammoth cave national park — a national park in central Kentucky: limestone caverns with onyx formations, stalagmites, and stalactites. 79 sq. mi. (205 sq. km).
- many-worlds interpretation — an interpretation of quantum mechanics based on the idea that every possible event exists in its own world
- master chief petty officer — a noncommissioned rank above a senior chief petty officer. Abbreviation: MCPO.
- mecklenburg-west pomerania — a state of NE Germany, along the Baltic coast: consists of the former state of Mecklenburg and those parts of W Pomerania not incorporated into Poland after World War II: part of East Germany until 1990. Pop: 1 732 000 (2003 est)
- metropolitan museum of art — the principal museum in New York City: founded in 1870 and housed in its present premises in Central Park since 1880
- micronetics standard mumps — (MSM) A version of MUMPS for the IBM PC RT and R6000.
- minister without portfolio — a minister of state who is not appointed to any specific department in a government.
- monochrome display adapter — (hardware, graphics) (MDA) One of IBM's earliest hardware video display standards for use in IBM PC. MDA can display only monochrome 80*25 text (IBM PC video mode 7). It is now obsolete.
- multi-color graphics array — (hardware, graphics) (MCGA) One of IBM's less popular hardware video display standards for use in the IBM PS/2. MCGA can display 80*25 text in monochrome, 40*25 text in 256 colours or 320*200 pixel graphics in 256 colors. It is now obsolete.
- national merit scholarship — one of some 6000 college scholarships awarded annually since 1956, by the nonprofit, grant-supported National Merit Scholarship Corporation, to high-school students (National Merit Scholars) on the basis of scholastic record, personal character, and score on a test administered nationally.