17-letter words containing w, e, r, f
- law of reflection — the principle that when a ray of light, radar pulse, or the like, is reflected from a smooth surface the angle of reflection is equal to the angle of incidence, and the incident ray, the reflected ray, and the normal to the surface at the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
- law of refraction — the principle that for a ray, radar pulse, or the like, that is incident on the interface of two media, the ratio of the sine of the angle of incidence to the sine of the angle of refraction is equal to the ratio of the velocity of the ray in the first medium to the velocity in the second medium and the incident ray, refracted ray, and normal to the surface at the point of incidence all lie in the same plane.
- leg before wicket — a manner of dismissal on the grounds that a batsman has been struck on the leg by a bowled ball that otherwise would have hit the wicket
- lie in wait (for) — to wait so as to catch after planning an ambush or trap (for)
- lower forty-eight — the forty-eight conterminous states of the United States
- make the worst of — to be pessimistic about
- mayflower compact — an agreement to establish a government, entered into by the Pilgrims in the cabin of the Mayflower on November 11, 1620.
- microsoft network — The Microsoft Network
- middle of nowhere — a completely isolated, featureless, or insignificant place
- mount fairweather — a mountain in W North America, on the border between Alaska and British Columbia. Height: 4663 m (15 300 ft)
- on the wrong foot — in an inauspicious manner
- orange flower oil — neroli oil.
- pacific northwest — the region of North America lying north of the Columbia River and west of the Rockies
- pincushion flower — scabious2 (def 1).
- power of attorney — a written document given by one person or party to another authorizing the latter to act for the former.
- register of wills — (in some states of the U.S.) the official charged with the probate of wills or with the keeping of the records of the probate court.
- roof of the world — Tibet, Plateau of.
- sidesaddle flower — a pitcher plant, Sarracenia purpurea.
- software engineer — a person who writes computer programs
- software platform — a major piece of software, as an operating system, an operating environment, or a database, under which various smaller application programs can be designed to run.
- south west africa — a former name of Namibia.
- south-west africa — a former name of Namibia.
- store and forward — to store (information) in a computer for later forward transmission through a telecommunication network
- sword of damocles — Damocles (def 2).
- teaching software — computer software for use in providing online education
- to play with fire — If you say that someone is playing with fire, you mean that they are doing something dangerous that may result in great harm for them and cause many problems.
- to show your face — If you show your face somewhere, you go there and see people, although you are not welcome, are rather unwilling to go, or have not been there for some time.
- tower of strength — a building or structure high in proportion to its lateral dimensions, either isolated or forming part of a building.
- tree of knowledge — the tree whose fruit Adam and Eve tasted in disobedience of God: Gen. 2, 3
- turn of the screw — a short novel (1898) by Henry James.
- twenty four seven — continually; constantly: They're together 24/7.
- twenty-four hours — the time taken by the Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis; a whole day
- twenty-four seven — continually; constantly: They're together 24/7.
- twenty-four-seven — continually; constantly: They're together 24/7.
- wage differential — the difference in wages between workers with different skills in the same industry or between those with comparable skills in different industries or localities
- waiver of premium — a provision in a policy establishing specific conditions under which the policy will be kept in force without the policyholder's being required to continue to pay premiums.
- walleye surfperch — a common black and silvery surfperch (Hyperprosopon argenteum) found off the coast of California
- wars of the roses — the civil struggle between the royal house of Lancaster, whose emblem was a red rose, and the royal house of York, whose emblem was a white rose, beginning in 1455 and ending with the accession of Henry VII in 1485 and the union of the two houses.
- water lily family — the plant family Nymphaeaceae, characterized by aquatic herbaceous plants having usually broad leaves, solitary, often showy flowers, and fruit in a variety of forms, and including the lotus (genus Nelumbo), spatterdock, water lily, and water shield.
- wave-cut platform — a flat surface at the base of a cliff formed by erosion by waves
- wedding breakfast — meal served at wedding reception
- welfare economics — a branch of economics concerned with improving human welfare and social conditions chiefly through the optimum distribution of wealth, the relief or reduction of unemployment, etc.
- willow flycatcher — a North American flycatcher, Empidonax alnorum, of alder thickets and other moist areas, that has greenish-brown upper parts and whitish underparts and is almost indistinguishable except by voice from E. traillii (willow flycatcher)
- with a difference — If you describe a job or holiday, for example, as a job with a difference or a holiday with a difference, you mean that the job or holiday is very interesting and unusual.
- with half a heart — halfheartedly
- woman of the hour — a woman honored by a group.
- work-life balance — a situation in which one divides or balances one's time between work and activities outside of work: It's hard to achieve a reasonable work-life balance when you run your own business.
- writ of execution — a writ ordering that a judgment be enforced