16-letter words containing u, s, a
- reserve buoyancy — the difference between the volume of a hull below the designed waterline and the volume of the hull below the lowest opening incapable of being made watertight.
- residual current — an electric current that continues to flow in a device, etc when there is no voltage supply, due to electrons emitted by heat, etc
- resonant circuit — A resonant circuit combines an inductor and capacitor to make a circuit that responds to a frequency.
- return on assets — the amount of profit computed by dividing net income before interest and taxes by the cost of assets, usually expressed as a percentage. Abbreviation: ROA.
- rhythm and blues — a folk-based but urbanized form of black popular music that is marked by strong, repetitious rhythms and simple melodies and was developed, in a commercialized form, into rock-'n'-roll.
- rhythm-and-blues — a folk-based but urbanized form of black popular music that is marked by strong, repetitious rhythms and simple melodies and was developed, in a commercialized form, into rock-'n'-roll.
- rich tea biscuit — any of various semisweet biscuits
- risus sardonicus — fixed contraction of the facial muscles resulting in a peculiar distorted grin, caused esp by tetanus
- river carpsucker — a carpsucker, Carpiodes carpio, found in silty rivers of the central U.S. south to Mexico.
- root mean square — the square root of the arithmetic mean of the squares of the numbers in a given set of numbers. Abbreviation: rms.
- run a tight ship — a vessel, especially a large oceangoing one propelled by sails or engines.
- run rings around — a typically circular band of metal or other durable material, especially one of gold or other precious metal, often set with gems, for wearing on the finger as an ornament, a token of betrothal or marriage, etc.
- russian dressing — a sharp mayonnaise dressing containing chopped pickles, chili sauce or ketchup, pimientos, etc.
- russian orthodox — of or relating to the Russian Orthodox Church
- russian roulette — a game of high risk in which each player in turn, using a revolver containing one bullet, spins the cylinder of the revolver, points the muzzle at the head, and pulls the trigger.
- safeguard clause — a clause in a contract, etc, that ensures the protection of something against problems, etc
- safety-conscious — conscious of being safe and preventing danger
- saint petersburg — Also called Russian Empire. Russian Rossiya. a former empire in E Europe and N and W Asia: overthrown by the Russian Revolution 1917. Capital: St. Petersburg (1703–1917).
- saint-ulmo-light — St. Elmo's fire.
- sales automation — Sales Force Automation
- sales literature — all of the literature, such as brochures, price lists, and customer testimonials, that a company uses to promote its goods, products, or services to the public
- san buenaventura — a city in SW California.
- san juan islands — a group of islands between NW Washington, US, and SE Vancouver Island, Canada: administratively part of Washington
- sandstone quarry — a quarry from which sand is extracted
- santiago de cuba — a region in Ecuador, E of the Andes: the border long disputed by Peru.
- saturated liquid — a liquid whose temperature and pressure are such that any decrease in pressure without change in temperature causes it to boil.
- saturation level — carrying capacity.
- saturation point — the point at which a substance will receive no more of another substance in solution, chemical combination, etc.
- sauce americaine — a sauce prepared with tomatoes, garlic, wine, shallots, and herbs. See also à l’américaine.
- sault ste. marie — the rapids of the St. Marys River, between NE Michigan and Ontario, Canada.
- save as you earn — (in Britain) a savings scheme which offers a tax-free bonus and allows employees to buy shares in the company they work for at a fixed price
- sawn-off shotgun — A sawn-off shotgun is a shotgun on which the barrel has been cut short. Guns like this are often used by criminals because they can be easily hidden.
- saxo grammaticus — c1150–1206? Danish historian and poet.
- scar tissue code — (humour, programming) Old code that is commented out but still included in the current release.
- scarborough lily — a plant, Vallota speciosa, of the amaryllis family, native to southern Africa, having clusters of funnel-shaped, scarlet flowers.
- schaumburg-lippe — a former state in NW Germany.
- scheduled castes — (in India) the official name given to the lower castes that are now protected by the government and offered special concessions.
- schouten islands — a group of islands belonging to Papua New Guinea, in the Pacific Oceans, off the N coast of New Guinea.
- sclerenchymatous — supporting or protective tissue composed of thickened, dry, and hardened cells.
- sculpture garden — a garden that showcases sculptures in landscaped surroundings
- sebaceous glands — any of the cutaneous glands that secrete oily matter for lubricating hair and skin.
- secondary colour — a colour formed by mixing two primary colours
- secondary source — next after the first in order, place, time, etc.
- secondary tissue — tissue derived from cambium.
- secular humanism — any set of beliefs that promotes human values without specific allusion to religious doctrines.
- security analyst — a person who specializes in evaluating information regarding stocks and bonds.
- security blanket — a blanket or other familiar item carried especially by a young child to provide reassurance and a feeling of psychological security.
- security manager — The security manager of a store is the person responsible for organizing all security in the store and to whom security guards report.
- security measure — a precaution taken against terrorism, espionage or other danger
- seleucia trachea — an ancient city in SE Asia Minor, on the River Calycadnus (modern Goksu Nehri): captured by the Turks in the 13th century; site of present-day Silifke (Turkey)