15-letter words containing w, a
- transverse wave — a wave in which the direction of displacement is perpendicular to the direction of propagation, as a surface wave of water.
- travelling wave — a wave carrying energy away from its source
- trigger warning — a stated warning that the content of a text, video, etc., may upset or offend some people, especially those who have previously experienced a related trauma: a blog post with a trigger warning for rape.
- troubled waters — a confused or chaotic state of affairs: The situation was terrible, but like many politicians he was attracted by troubled waters.
- tweet you later — (on the Twitter website) goodbye; see you later
- twelve apostles — the twelve disciples chosen by Jesus to go forth to teach the gospel
- twist one's arm — to combine, as two or more strands or threads, by winding together; intertwine.
- twitching trail — a logging road sufficiently developed to allow the hauling of logs along it by horse or tractor.
- two-dimensional — having the dimensions of height and width only: a two-dimensional surface.
- two-star petrol — leaded petrol that has a low octane number; inferior leaded petrol
- unanswerability — the quality of not being answerable or contestable
- unknowledgeable — possessing or exhibiting knowledge, insight, or understanding; intelligent; well-informed; discerning; perceptive.
- unseaworthiness — constructed, outfitted, manned, and in all respects fitted for a voyage at sea.
- upperclasswoman — An upperclasswoman is a junior or senior student in a high school, college, or university.
- upward mobility — movement from one social level to a higher one (upward mobility) or a lower one (downward mobility) as by changing jobs or marrying.
- upwardly mobile — See under vertical mobility (def 1).
- vatican swindle — Lafcadio's Adventures.
- venetian window — Palladian window.
- viewing gallery — an area in a building or outside for viewing an activity, the surrounding scenery, etc
- völkerwanderung — the migration of peoples, esp of Germanic and Slavic peoples into S and W Europe from 2nd to 11th centuries
- w.h. richardson — Henry Handel (Henrietta Richardson Robertson) 1870–1946, Australian novelist.
- waddesdon manor — a mansion near Aylesbury in Buckinghamshire: built (1880–89) in the French style for the Rothschild family: noted for its furnishings and collections of porcelain and paintings
- wage bargaining — discussions between representatives of employees and employers in order to agree levels of pay
- wage indexation — the linking of wages to an index representing the cost of living, so that they are automatically adjusted up or down as that rises or falls
- wager of battle — (in medieval Britain) a pledge to do battle for a cause, esp to decide guilt or innocence by single combat
- walk (all) over — to defeat overwhelmingly
- walk-in traffic — The walk-in traffic of a store is the number of people who choose to visit it as they pass by.
- walking catfish — an Asian catfish, Clarias batrachus, that can survive out of water and move overland from one body of water to another: introduced into Florida.
- walking holiday — a holiday on which you walk a lot, esp in the countryside
- walking wounded — casualties, as of a military conflict, who are wounded but ambulatory.
- wallace nutting — Wallace, 1861–1941, U.S. antiquary, author, and illustrator.
- walleye pollock — a cod, Theragra chalcogramma, ranging the northern Pacific, that is related to and resembles the pollock.
- walloon brabant — a province of central Belgium, formed in 1995 from the S part of Brabant province: densely populated and intensively farmed, with large industrial centres. Pop: 360 717 (2004 est). Area: 1091 sq km (421 sq miles)
- wallpaper music — music that is pleasant but not interesting, so people do not pay much attention to it
- wallpaper paste — an adhesive used for attaching wallpaper to a surface
- walnut husk fly — any of several fruit flies, as Rhagoletis completa, the larvae of which feed on and discolor walnut husks.
- walpurgis night — (especially in medieval German folklore) the evening preceding the feast day of St. Walpurgis, when witches congregated, especially on the Brocken.
- walrus mustache — a thick, shaggy mustache hanging down loosely at both ends.
- warmheartedness — The quality of being warmhearted.
- warrant officer — (in the U.S. Armed Forces) an officer of one of four grades ranking above enlisted personnel and below commissioned officers.
- warrantableness — Quality of being warrantable.
- washing machine — an apparatus, especially a household appliance, for washing clothing, linens, etc.
- washing-up bowl — plastic bowl used for washing dishes
- washington lily — a lily, Lilium washingtonianum, of the western coast of the U.S., having whorled leaves and fragrant, purple-spotted white flowers.
- washington palm — a palm tree, Washingtonia filifera, of California and Florida, having large fan-shaped leaves and small black fruits
- wassermann test — a diagnostic test for syphilis using the fixation of a complement by the serum of a syphilitic individual.
- watch committee — a local government committee composed of magistrates and representatives of the county borough council responsible for the efficiency of the local police force
- watch the clock — If you are watching the clock, you keep looking to see what time it is, usually because you are bored by something and want it to end as soon as possible.
- water authority — an official body which is responsible for providing water
- water pennywort — any of numerous perennial herbs of the genus Hydrocotyle, of the parsley family, having rounded leaves and living in water or marshy places.