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Talk Talk - Communication terms
Category: General technical and industrial
Date & country: 28/05/2010, UK
Words: 18630
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pyrometerAny instrument used for measuring high temperatures by means of the thermal radiation emitted by a hot object. In a radiation pyrometer the emitted radiation is detected by a sensor such as a thermocouple. In an optical pyrometer the colour of an electrically heated filament is matched visually to that of the emitted radiation. Pyrometers are espec...
Pythagoras' theoremIn geometry, a theorem stating that in a right-angled triangle, the square of the hypotenuse (the longest side) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. If the hypotenuse is
h units long and the lengths of the other sides are
a and
...
pyramid of numbers
In ecology, a diagram that shows quantities of plants and animals at different levels (steps) of a food chain. This may be measured in terms of numbers (how many animals) or biomass (total mass of living matter), though in terms of showing transfer of food, biomass is a more useful measure. Where bio...
pyridoxine
Water-soluble vitamin of the B complex. There is no clearly identifiable disease associated with deficiency but its absence from the diet can give rise to malfunction of the central nervous system and general skin disorders. Good sources are liver, meat, milk, and cereal grains. Related compounds may also show vitamin B6 ...
pylon
In modern usage, a steel lattice tower that supports high-tension electrical cables. In ancient Egyptian architecture, a pylon is one of a pair of inward-sloping towers that flank an entrance
pyramidal peak
Angular mountain peak with three or more arêtes found in glaciated areas; for example, the Matterhorn in Switzerland. It is formed when three or four corries (steep-sided hollows) are eroded, back-to-back, around the sides of a mountain, leaving an isolated peak in the middle
qat
Evergreen shrub with white flowers belonging to the staff-tree family, native to Africa and Asia. The leaves are chewed as a mild narcotic drug in some Arab countries. Its use was banned in Somalia 1983. (Genus Catha edulis, family Celastraceae.)
Qaraghandy
(city) Industrial city and capital of the Qaraghandy oblast (region) in central-eastern Kazakhstan; population (1996) 1,339,900. The city lies at the centre of an area rich in minerals, where coal, copper, tungsten, and manganese are mined. Iron and steel mills are located here, and fo...
Qatar
Country in the Middle East, occupying Qatar peninsula in the Gulf, bounded southwest by Saudi Arabia and south by United Arab Emirates. Government A provisional constitution adopted 1970 confirmed Qatar as an absolute monarchy, with the emir holding all executive and legislative powers. The emir appo...
Qaddafi
Alternative form of Khaddhafi, Libyan leader
Qaboos bin Said
Sultan of Oman, the 14th descendant of the Albusaid family. Opposed to the conservative views of his father, Said ibn Taimur, he was held under virtual house arrest from 1964, before overthrowing his father in 1970 in a bloodless coup and assuming the sultanship. Since then he has followed more liberal and expansionist policies, while maintaining h...
qadr
In Islam, the concept of destiny or predestination; that God is in control of events. Although God alone knows what destiny has been chosen for each individual, people also have complete free will. With this comes the idea of responsibility. People are free to choose what they do, but if they wish to follow God's will, they must choose to a...
QC
Abbreviation for Queen's Counsel
QED
Abbreviation for quod erat demonstrandum (Latin `which was to be proved`), added at the end of a geometry proof, but also sometimes used in speech and writing. The school child `spoof` translation is `Quite Easily Done`
Qinghai
Province of northwest China, bounded to the north by Gansu, to the south by Sichuan, to the west by Tibet, and to the northwest by Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; area 721,000 sq km/278,400 sq mi; population (2000 est) 5,180,000. The capital is Xining and Golmud is another major town. Industries include minerals, chemicals, livestock,...
Qin dynasty
China's first imperial dynasty 221–206 BC. It was established by Shi Huangdi, ruler of the Qin, the most powerful of the Zhou era warring states. The power of the feudal nobility was curbed and greater central authority exerted over north central China, which was unified through a bureaucratic administrative system. Writing and measurement...
qiblah
Direction in which Muslims face to pray: the direction of Mecca. In every mosque this is marked by a niche (mihrab) in the wall
Qom
Holy city of Shiite Muslims, in central Iran, 145 km/90 mi south of Tehran on the Qom River; population (2006) 959,100. Pottery, textiles, shoes, and glass are the main industries. The Islamic academy of Madresseh Faizieh in 1920 became the headquarters of Ayatollah Khomeini
quince
Small tree native to western Asia but widely cultivated elsewhere. The bitter, yellow, pear-shaped fruit is used in preserves. Flowering quinces are cultivated mainly for their attractive flowers. (Cydonia oblonga; flowering quince; genus Chaenomeles&...
quebracho
Any of several South American trees belonging to the cashew family, with very hard, tannin-rich wood; chiefly the red quebracho (S. lorentzii), used in the tanning of leather. (Genus Schinopsis, family Anacardiaceae.)
quassia
Any of a group of tropical American trees with bitter bark and wood. The heartwood of Q. amara is a source of quassiin, an infusion of which was formerly used as a tonic; it is now used in insecticides. (Genus Quassia, family Simaroubaceae.) The quassia family includes the Asian ailanthus (Ailanthu...
quicksilver
Another name for the element mercury
quetzal
Long-tailed Central American bird Pharomachus mocinno of the trogon family, order Trogoniformes. The male is brightly coloured, with green, red, blue, and white feathers. It has a train of blue-green plumes (tail coverts) that hang far beyond the true tail feathers. There i...
quail
Any of several genera of small ground-dwelling birds of the family Phasianidae, which also includes grouse, pheasants, bobwhites, and prairie chickens. Species are found in Africa, India, Australia, North America, and Europe. Species The common or European quail Coturnix coturnix is about 18 cm/7 in long, reddish-brow...
quorum
Minimum number of members required to be present for the proceedings of an assembly to be valid. The actual number of people required for a quorum may vary
Qumran
Archaeological site in Jordan, excavated from 1951, in the foothills northwest of the Dead Sea. Originally an Iron Age fort (6th century BC), it was occupied in the late 2nd century BC by a monastic community, the Essenes, until the buildings were burned by Romans in AD 68. The monastery library once...
Quirinal
One of the seven hills on which ancient Rome was built. Its summit is occupied by a palace built in 1574 as a summer residence for the pope and occupied 1870–1946 by the kings of Italy. The name Quirinal is derived from that of Quirinus, local god of the Sabines
Quintilian
Roman rhetorician. Born at Calagurris, Spain, he was educated in Rome, but left early in Nero's reign. He returned to Rome in AD 68, where he quickly achieved fame and wealth as a teacher of rhetoric. He composed the Institutio Oratoria/The Education of an Orator, in which he advocated a simple and sincere style of public...
Quintana Roo
State of Mexico, on the Yucatán Peninsula; area 50,350 sq km/ 19,440 sq mi; population (1990) 493,300. Its capital is Chetumal. The chief products are chicle and copra, and there is sponge and turtle fishing. Most of the inhabitants are descendents of Maya Indians, and there are important archaeological remains of the Pre-Colum...
Quezon City
Former capital of the Philippines 1948–76, northeastern part of metropolitan Manila (the present capital), on Luzon Island; population (2000 est) 2,173,800. It was named after the Philippines' first president, Manuel Luis Quezon
Quaker
Popular name, originally derogatory, for a member of the Society of Friends
Quechua
The largest group of American Indians living in South America. The Quechua live in the Andean region. Their ancestors included the Inca, who established the Quechua language in the region, now the second official language of Peru and widely spoken as a lingua franca in Ecuador, Bolivia, Colombia, Arg...
quaestor
Junior Roman magistrate whose primary role was to oversee the finances of individual provinces under the Republic. Quaestors originated as assistants to the consuls. They often commanded units in the army when the governor of the province fought a campaign
Quito
Industrial city, capital of Ecuador and of Pichincha province; situated on a plateau in the Andes, 22 km/14 mi south of the Equator, at an altitude of 2,850 m/9,350 ft; population (2001) 1,399,400. Industries include textiles, chemicals, leather, gold, silver, pharmaceuticals, and motor vehicles. Quito lies at the foot of the volcan...
Quetzalcoatl
In pre-Columbian cultures of Central America, a feathered serpent god of air and water. In his human form, he was said to have been fair-skinned and bearded and to have reigned on Earth during a golden age. He disappeared across the eastern sea, with a promise to return; the Spanish conqu...
Queen's Proctor
In England, the official representing the crown in matrimonial, probate, and admiralty cases. The Queen's Proctor's chief function is to intervene in divorce proceedings if it is discovered that material facts have been concealed from the court or that there has been collusion. When the monarch is a king the term is King's Proctor
Queensland
Click images to enlargeState in northeast Australia, including the adjacent islands in the Pacific Ocean and in the Gulf of Carpentaria; bordered on the west by Northern Territory, on the southwest by South Australia, on the south by New South Wales, on the east by the Pacific Ocean, and on the extreme northwest by th...
Québec Conference
Two conferences of Allied leaders in the city of Québec, Canada, during World War II. The first conference in 1943 approved British admiral Mountbatten as supreme Allied commander in Southeast Asia and made plans for the invasion of France, for which US general Eisenhower was to be supreme commander. The second conference in September 1944 ado...
Québec
(province) Click images to enlargeProvince of eastern Canada; the largest province, second only in area among the nation's administrative subdivisions to the Northwest Territories. Québec is bordered on the ...
Québec
(city) Click images to enlargeCapital and port of Québec province, Canada, at the junction of the Saint-Charles and St Lawrence rivers, Canada; population (2001 est) 169,100, metropolitan area (2001 est) 682,800. It is a major inla...
Quatre Bras, Battle of
Battle fought on 16 June 1815 during the Napoleonic Wars, in which the British commander Wellington defeated French forces under Marshal Ney. It is named after a hamlet in Brabant, Belgium, 32 km/20 mi southeast of Brussels
quart
Imperial liquid or dry measure, equal to two pints or 1.136 litres. In the USA, a liquid quart is equal to 0.946 litre, while a dry quart is equal to 1.101 litres
quarter day
In the financial year, any of the four dates on which such payments as ground rents become due: in England 25 March (Lady Day), 24 June (Midsummer Day), 29 September (Michaelmas), and 25 December (Christmas Day)
quarantine
Any period for which people, animals, plants, or vessels may be detained in isolation to prevent the spread of contagious disease
Quant, Mary
English fashion designer, whose `Chelsea Girl` look made London the fashion centre of the `swinging sixties`. She popularized the miniskirt, pioneered the concept of the boutique, and later built up a multinational empire selling her cosmetics. Quant opened her first boutique, called Bazaar, in King's Road, Chelsea, London, ...
quango
Any administrative body that is nominally independent but relies on government funding; for example, the British Council (1935), the Equal Opportunities Commission (1975) in the UK, and the Environmental Protection Agency (1970) in the USA. The growth of quangos in the UK represented one aspect of the Conservative government's (1979–97...
quadratic equation
In mathematics, a polynomial equation of second degree (that is, an equation containing as its highest power the square of a variable, such as x2). The general formula of such equations is ax2 + bx + c = 0 in which &...
quenching
Heat treatment used to harden metals. The metals are heated to a certain temperature and then quickly plunged into cold water or oil
Queen Anne style
Decorative art style in England (1700–20), characterized by plain, simple lines, mainly in silver and furniture
Queen's English
See English language
question mark
Punctuation mark (?) used to indicate an enquiry, placed at the end of a direct question (`Who is coming?`) or an implied question (`This is my reward?`). A question mark is never needed at the end of an indirect question (`He asked us who was coming`), since this is a statement. To express doubt, a writer or editor ma...
quartz
Crystalline form of silica SiO2, one of the most abundant minerals of the Earth's crust (12% by volume). Quartz occurs in many different kinds of rock, including sandstone and granite. It ranks 7 on the Mohs scale of hardness and is resistant to chemical or mechanical breakdown. Quartzes vary according to the size and...
quartzite
Metamorphic rock consisting of pure quartz sandstone that has recrystallized under increasing heat and pressure
quantum number
In physics, one of a set of four numbers that uniquely characterize an electron and its state in an atom. The principal quantum number n defines the electron's main energy level. The orbital quantum number l relates to its angular momentum. The magnetic quantum number m describes the ener...
Queen's Counsel
In England, a barrister appointed to senior rank by the Lord Chancellor. When the monarch is a king the term is King's Counsel (KC). A QC wears a silk gown and takes precedence over a junior member of the Bar
Quadruple Alliance
In European history, three military alliances of four nations: The Quadruple Alliance 1718 Austria, Britain, France, and the United Provinces (Netherlands) joined forces to prevent Spain from annexing Sardinia and Sicily; The Quadruple Alliance 1813 Austria, Britain, Prussia, and Russia allied to defeat the French emperor Napoleon; rene...
quinine
Antimalarial drug extracted from the bark of the cinchona tree. Peruvian Indians taught French missionaries how to use the bark in 1630, but quinine was not isolated until 1820. It is a bitter alkaloid, with the formula C20H24N2O2. Other antimalarial drugs h...
quilt
Padded bed cover or the method used to make padded covers or clothing. The padded effect is achieved by sewing a layer of down, cotton, wool, or other stuffing between two outer pieces of material; patterned sewing is used (often incorporating diamond shapes or floral motifs). Quilts have been made in the home for centuries throughout Europe, t...
quid pro quo
An exchange of one thing in return for another
Quaternary Period
Period of geological time from 1.64 million years ago through to the present. It is divided into the Pleistocene (1.64 million to 10,000 years ago) and Holocene (last 10,000 years) epochs
Queens
Largest borough and county of New York City, USA; population (2000 est) 2,229,400. Situated at the west end of Long Island, it covers an area of 280 sq km/108 sq mi. Mainly residential, its districts include Jackson Heights, Forest Hills, and Flushing. Industries are concentrated in Long Island City, a railroad and shipping terminus, and Ma...
Quinn, Anthony
(Rudolph Oaxaca) Mexican-born US actor who starred in over 159 films. His roles frequently displayed great machismo and he often played larger-than-life characters, such as the title role in Zorba the Greek (1964). His other films include Viva Zapata!...
quasar
One of the most distant extragalactic objects known, discovered in 1963. Quasars appear starlike, but each emits more energy than 100 giant galaxies. They are thought to be at the centre of galaxies, their brilliance emanating from the stars and gas falling towards an immense black hole at their nucleus. The Hubble Space Telescope has revealed that...
quantum theory
In physics, the theory that energy does not have a continuous range of values, but is, instead, absorbed or radiated discontinuously, in multiples of definite, indivisible units called quanta. Just as earlier theory showed how light, generally seen as a wave motion, could also in some ways be seen as composed of discrete particles (photons), quantu...
quark
(physics) In physics, the elementary particle that is the fundamental constituent of all hadrons (subatomic particles that experience the strong nuclear force and divided into baryons, such as neutrons and protons, and mesons). Quarks have electric charges that are fractions of the electronic ...
qualitative analysis
In chemistry, a procedure for determining the identity of the component(s) of a single substance or mixture. A series of simple reactions and tests can be carried out on a compound to determine the elements present
quantitative analysis
In chemistry, a procedure for determining the precise amount of a known component present in a single substance or mixture. A known amount of the substance is subjected to particular procedures. Gravimetric analysis determines the mass of each constituent present; volumetric analysis determines the concentration of a solution by titration again...
quantum chromodynamics
In physics, a theory describing the interactions of quarks, the elementary particles that make up all hadrons (subatomic particles such as protons and neutrons). In quantum chromodynamics, quarks are considered to interact by exchanging particles called gluons, which carry the strong nuclear force, and whose role is to `glue` quarks toget...
quantum electrodynamics
In physics, a theory describing the interaction of charged subatomic particles within electric and magnetic fields. It combines quantum theory and relativity, and considers charged particles to interact by the exchange of photons. QED is remarkable for the accuracy of its predictions; for example, it has been used to calculate the value of some...
Quorn
Mycoprotein, a tiny relative of mushrooms, that feeds on carbohydrates and grows prolifically in culture using a form of liquid fermentation. It is moist, looks like meat, and is used in cooking. It is rich in protein (12.3 g/100 g) and fibre (3.6 g/100 g) and low in fat (0.49 g/100 g)
quota
In international trade, a form of protectionism, limiting the amount of a commodity that may be exported, imported, or produced. Restrictions may be imposed forcibly or voluntarily. The justification for quotas may include protection of a home industry from an influx of cheap goods, prevention of a heavy outflow of goods (usually raw materials) bec...
quadrant
One quarter of a circle. When plotting coordinates on a graph, the x- and y-axes may intersect to create four quadrants. The first quadrant lies in the region where both x and y are positive. The remaining three quadrants are numbered in an anticlockwise direction. ...
quadrilateral
Plane (two-dimensional) figure with four straight sides. The sum of all interior angles is 360°. The following are all quadrilaterals, each with distinguishing properties: square with four equal angles and sides, and four axes of symmetry; rectangle with four equal angles, opposite s...
quartile
In statistics, any one of the three values that divide data into four equal parts. They comprise the lower quartile, below which lies the lowest 25% of the data; the median, which is the middle 50%, half way through the data; and the upper quartile, above which lies the top 25%. The difference of value between the upper and lowe...
questionnaire
Question list submitted to a certain number of people whose answers are then used to compile quantitative or qualitative statistical information. Questionnaires are a means of obtaining primary data and are useful in market research, for example
quality control
Steps taken to ensure that products are of a minimum acceptable standard for buyers of the product. In manufacturing, quality control should be achieved through inspection of products at each stage of the manufacturing process. In services, quality control is just as important but quality of service is often more difficult to define and measure. Qu...
quotation marks
Punctuation marks (` `) used in pairs to mark off direct speech or quoted matter in a text
Queen
British glam-rock group 1971–91 credited with making the first successful pop video, for their hit `Bohemian Rhapsody` (1975). The operatic flamboyance of lead singer Freddie Mercury (1946–1991) was the cornerstone of their popularity; other members of the band were Brian May (1947– ), John Deacon (1951–&#...
quartet
Ensemble of four musicians, or the music written for such a group. The most common type of quartet is the string quartet
QuickTime
Multimedia utility developed by Apple, initially for the Macintosh, but now also available for Windows. Allows multimedia, such as sound and video, to be embedded in other documents, including Web pages
QuarkXPress
Professional desktop publishing (DTP) application produced by Quark. It is the most widely used professional DTP application. Since debuting in 1987, QuarkXPress has been the leading layout and design software for publishers worldwide. Quark uses a hardware key to prevent copying, plugged into one of the computer's universal serial bus (USB) po...
query
In computing, a question asked of a database. Queries form the bulk of programmed processes and are run as an intermediate stage between data input and the output report. A query needs to be set up and executed in order to generate information that will then be passed to the report generator. Queries are often set up by the database designer and ru...
qv
Abbreviation for quod vide, indicating a cross-reference
QwaQwa
Former black homeland for South Sotho people in Orange Free State (now Free State), South Africa
QWERTY
Standard arrangement of keys on a UK or US typewriter or computer keyboard. Q, W, E, R, T, and Y are the first six keys on the top alphabetic line. The arrangement was made in the days of mechanical keyboards in order that the keys would not jam together. Other European countries use different arrangements, such as AZERTY and QWERTZ, which are more...
raspberry
Any of a group of prickly cane plants native to Europe, Asia, and North America, and widely cultivated. They have white flowers followed by hollow red composite fruits, which are eaten fresh as a delicacy and used for making jam and wine. (Genus Rubus, family Rosaceae.)
rap
Rapid, rhythmic chant over a pre-recorded repetitive backing track. Rap emerged in New York in 1979 as part of the hip-hop culture, although the macho, swaggering lyrics with which it started have their roots in ritual boasts and insults. During the 1990s rap became increasingly commercial, and even its more extreme offshoots, such as gangs...
ragwort
Any of several European perennial plants, usually with yellow flower heads; some are poisonous. (Genus Senecio, family Compositae.)
rafflesia
Any of a group of parasitic plants without stems, native to Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand. There are 14 species, several of which are endangered by the destruction of the forests where they grow. The fruit is used locally for medicine. The largest flowers in the world are produced by R. ...
radish
Annual herb native to Europe and Asia, and cultivated for its fleshy, pungent, edible root, which is usually reddish but sometimes white or black; it is eaten raw in salads. (Genus Raphanus sativus, family Cruciferae.)
Ray, Satyajit
Indian film director. He became internationally known with his trilogy of life in his native Bengal: Pather Panchali/Song of the Road, Aparajito/Unvanquished, and Apur Sansar/The World of Apu (1955–59). Later films include The Music Room (1963),
Ramsay, Allan
(painter) Scottish painter. Having studied in Edinburgh and then in Italy, he settled in London, becoming one of the most successful portraitists of his day, his works valued for their charm and elegance. He became artist to George III in 1760 and played an active role in London's literary...
Rawalpindi
City in Punjab province, Pakistan, on the north bank of the River Leh, 175 km/110 mi southeast of Peshawar in the foothills of the Himalayas; population (1998) 1,409,800, (2007 calc) 1,843,400. Industries include oil refining, iron, chemicals, locomotives, steel-rolling, and furniture. There is a considerable trade in grain, wool, and t...
Ravenna
(town) Industrial port in Emilia-Romagna, Italy, about 65 km/40 mi east of Bologna; population (2001) 134,600. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea by the Corsini Canal. Industries include oil-refining, and the production of petrochemicals, synthetic rubber, and fertilizers. It ...
Ravel,
(Joseph) French composer and pianist. His work is characterized by its sensuousness, exotic harmonics, and dazzling orchestral effects. His opera L'enfant et les sortilèges (1924) illustrates most of the various styles that influenced him at different times. Other w...
ratite
Flightless bird that has a breastbone without the keel to which flight muscles are attached. Examples are ostrich, rhea, emu, cassowary, and kiwi
Rattle, Simon
English conductor, principal conductor of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (CBSO) 1979–98. He built the CBSO into a world-class orchestra, with a core repertoire of early-20th-century music; he also commissioned new works. A popular and dynamic conductor, he achieves a characteristically clear and precise sound. In 200...
rationalism
In theology, the belief that human reason rather than divine revelation is the correct means of ascertaining truth and regulating behaviour. In philosophy, rationalism takes the view that self-evident a priori propositions (deduced by reason alone) are the sole basis of all knowledge. It is usually contrasted with empiricism, which argues that ...
rates
In the UK, a local government tax levied on industrial and commercial property (business rates) and, until the introduction of the community charge (see poll tax) 1989–90, also on residential property to pay for local amenities such as roads, footpaths, refuse collection and disposal, and community and welfare activities. The water companies a...
Rasputin
Siberian Eastern Orthodox mystic. He acquired influence over the Tsarina Alexandra, wife of Nicholas II, and was able to make political and ecclesiastical appointments. His abuse of power and notorious debauchery (reputedly including the tsarina) led to his murder by a group of nobles. Rasputin, the illiterate son of a peasant, began as a wandering...
