15-letter words containing y, a, l, o
- keyboard plaque — (jargon) The disgusting buildup of dirt and crud found on computer keyboards. "Are there any other terminals I can use? This one has a bad case of keyboard plaque."
- keyboard skills — ability to input information using a keyboard
- labyrinthodonts — Plural form of labyrinthodont.
- lambda-b baryon — a protonlike baryon containing a b quark; a neutral baryon with a mass 11,000 times that of the electron and a mean lifetime of approximately 1.1 X 10 -12 seconds.
- lambda-c baryon — a positively charged baryon with a mean lifetime of approximately 2.1 X 10 -13 seconds.
- laryngectomized — having had one's larynx surgically removed by undergoing a laryngectomy
- laryngotracheal — of, relating to, or involving the larynx and trachea.
- laser ring gyro — a system of aerial navigation in which rotation is sensed by the measuring of the frequency shift of laser light in a closed circuit in a horizontal plane
- lavatory humour — humour characterized by excessive mention of lavatories and the excretory functions; vulgar or scatological humour
- law of identity — the law that any proposition implies itself.
- lay a finger on — to harm
- lay it on thick — to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk.
- lay of the land — the general state or condition of affairs under consideration; the facts of a situation: We asked a few questions to get the lay of the land.
- lay on the line — a mark or stroke long in proportion to its breadth, made with a pen, pencil, tool, etc., on a surface: a line down the middle of the page.
- lay oneself out — to put or place in a horizontal position or position of rest; set down: to lay a book on a desk.
- lazy evaluation — (reduction) An evaluation strategy combining normal order evaluation with updating. Under normal order evaluation (outermost or call-by-name evaluation) an expression is evaluated only when its value is needed in order for the program to return (the next part of) its result. Updating means that if an expression's value is needed more than once (i.e. it is shared), the result of the first evaluation is remembered and subsequent requests for it will return the remembered value immediately without further evaluation. This is often implemented by graph reduction. An unevaluated expression is represented as a closure - a data structure containing all the information required to evaluate the expression. Lazy evaluation is one evaluation strategy used to implement non-strict functions. Function arguments may be infinite data structures (especially lists) of values, the components of which are evaluated as needed. According to Phil Wadler the term was invented by Jim Morris. Opposite: eager evaluation. A partial kind of lazy evaluation implements lazy data structures or especially lazy lists where function arguments are passed evaluated but the arguments of data constructors are not evaluated.
- leadwort family — the plant family Plumbaginaceae, characterized by shrubs and herbaceous plants of seacoasts and semiarid regions, having basal or alternate leaves, spikelike clusters of tubular flowers, and dry, one-seeded fruit, and including leadwort, sea lavender, statice, and thrift.
- learned society — an organization devoted to the scholarly study of a particular field or discipline, as modern languages, psychology, or history.
- legacy software — legacy system
- leonid andreyev — Leonid Nikolaevich [lee-uh-nid nik-uh-lahy-uh-vich;; Russian lyi-uh-nyeet nyi-kuh-lah-yi-vyich] /ˈli ə nɪd ˌnɪk əˈlaɪ ə vɪtʃ;; Russian lyɪ ʌˈnyit nyɪ kʌˈlɑ yɪ vyɪtʃ/ (Show IPA), 1871–1919, Russian novelist, short-story writer, and playwright.
- lesser dionysia — (in ancient Attica) the wine feasts, processions, and dramatic performances composing one of the festivals honoring Dionysus, held in the middle of December.
- lexicologically — Describing a relation to lexicology.
- library edition — an edition of a book prepared for library use, especially with a library binding.
- limited company — a company in which the shareholders cannot be assessed for debts of the company beyond the sum they still have invested in the company.
- linear topology — (theory) A linear topology on a left A-module M is a topology on M that is invariant under translations and admits a fundamental system of neighborhood of 0 that consists of submodules of M. If there is such a topology, M is said to be linearly topologized. If A is given a discrete topology, then M becomes a topological A-module with respect to a linear topology.
- liquidity ratio — the ratio of those assets that can easily be exchanged for money to the total assets of a bank or other financial institution
- literary editor — someone who edits literature and books
- literary theory — the systematic analysis and study of literature using general principles
- livery cupboard — a cupboard with pierced doors, formerly used as a storage place for food.
- local authority — council, local government
- locutionary act — the act of uttering a sentence considered only as such
- logarithmically — In a logarithmic manner.
- logging company — a company that fells trees and sells timber
- lombardy poplar — a poplar, Populus nigra italica, having a columnar manner of growth, with branches erect and parallel.
- look-say method — a method of teaching beginners to read by memorizing and recognizing whole words, rather than by associating letters with sounds
- lord privy seal — a cabinet minister without portfolio.
- lose your heart — If you lose your heart to someone, you fall in love with them.
- loyalty islands — a group of coral islands in the S Pacific belonging to the French territory of New Caledonia. 761 sq. mi. (1970 sq. km).
- lutzow-holm bay — an inlet of the Indian Ocean on the coast of Antarctica between Queen Maud Land and Enderby Land.
- lymphadenectomy — the excision of one or more lymph nodes, usually as a procedure in the surgical removal or destruction of a cancer.
- lymphadenopathy — chronically swollen lymph nodes.
- lymphocytopenia — (pathology) An abnormally low level of lymphocytes in the blood.
- lymphogranuloma — any of certain diseases characterized by granulomatous lesions of lymph nodes.
- macro-sociology — the sociological study of large-scale social systems and long-term patterns and processes.
- macroscopically — visible to the naked eye. Compare microscopic (def 1).
- magnetorheology — the study of the relationships between the particle and fluid properties of magnetic suspensions.
- magnolia family — the plant family Magnoliaceae, characterized by evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs having simple, alternate leaves, often showy flowers with a spiral arrangement of their floral parts, and conelike fruit, and including the cucumber tree, magnolia, tulip tree, and umbrella tree.
- mahogany family — the plant family Meliaceae, characterized by tropical and subtropical trees and shrubs having alternate, pinnate leaves, usually branched clusters of flowers, and fruit in the form of a berry or leathery capsule, and including the chinaberry, cedars of the genus Cedrela, and mahoganies of the genera Swietenia and Khaya.
- main royal mast — the part of the mainmast situated immediately above, and generally formed as a single spar with, the main topgallantmast.
- majority leader — the leader of the majority party in a legislative body, especially the party member who directs the activities of the majority party on the floor of either the Senate or the House of Representatives.