Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Joiakim

(Encyclopedia)Joiakim joiˈəkĭm [key] [short for Jehoiakim], in the Bible, high priest. ...

tuning fork

(Encyclopedia)tuning fork, steel instrument in the shape of a U with a short handle. When struck it produces an almost pure tone, retaining its pitch over a long period of time; thus it is a valuable aid in tuning ...

Abi

(Encyclopedia)Abi āˈbī [key] [short for Abijah], in the Bible, King Hezekiah's mother. ...

wombat

(Encyclopedia)wombat, shy marsupial of Australia and Tasmania, related to the koala. The wombat is a thick-set animal with a large head, short legs (giving it a shuffling gait), and a very short tail. It is about 3...

Salinger, J. D.

(Encyclopedia)Salinger, J. D. (Jerome David Salinger) sălˈĭnjər [key], 1919–2010, American novelist and short-story writer, b. New York City. His considerable literary stature rests on a small but extremely i...

soiling

(Encyclopedia)soiling, agricultural practice of feeding green fodder to livestock in the barn or dry lot. It is followed in the United States mostly in the dairy industry in seasons when pastures are short, but in ...

Brandão, Raul

(Encyclopedia)Brandão, Raul, 1867–1930, Portuguese novelist. His major theme was the tragic lives of poor people, and he often depicted a nightmare world of suffering ruled by inexplicable forces. His major work...

lute

(Encyclopedia) CE5 Lute lute, musical instrument that has a half-pear-shaped body, a fretted neck, and a variable number of strings, which are plucked with the fingers. The long lute, with its neck much longer t...

O'Brien, Fitz-James

(Encyclopedia)O'Brien, Fitz-James, 1828?–1862, Irish-American author and journalist, b. Ireland. He settled in New York in 1852. He is remembered for two of his short stories, “The Diamond Lens” and “The Wo...

Wisconsin, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)Wisconsin, river, c.430 mi (690 km) long, rising in the lake district, NE Wis., and flowing generally SW across central Wis. to the Mississippi River near Prairie du Chien. At Portage it is connected ...
 

Browse by Subject