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crumhorn

(Encyclopedia)crumhorn, J-shaped, double-reed musical instrument used throughout Europe from the 15th cent. through the 17th cent. It possesses a soft, reedy tone. The reed is enclosed by a wooden cap with a hole a...

Bates, H. E.

(Encyclopedia)Bates, H. E. (Herbert Ernest Bates), 1905–74, English author, b. Rushden, Northamptonshire. During World War II he served with the Royal Air Force. A good storyteller, Bates had the ability to rende...

Sprengel, Christian Konrad

(Encyclopedia)Sprengel, Christian Konrad krĭsˈtyän kônˈrät shprĕngˈəl [key], 1750–1816, German botanist. Although director of a school at Spandau and tutor in Berlin, he devoted himself chiefly to the st...

loess

(Encyclopedia)loess lĕs, lōˈəs, Ger. lös [key], unstratified soil deposit of varying thickness, usually yellowish and composed of fine-grained angular mineral particles mixed with clay. It is found in many reg...

Van Allen radiation belts

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Van Allen radiation belts: The solar wind, a stream of protons, electrons, and ions coming from the sun, gives the belts their asymmetrical shape. Van Allen radiation belts, belts of radiation...

Kölreuter, Joseph Gottlieb

(Encyclopedia)Kölreuter or Koelreuter, Joseph Gottlieb both: yōˈzĕf gôtˈlēp kölˈroiˌtər [key], 1733–1806, German botanist. In 1764 he became professor of natural history and director of the botanical g...

Hyacinth, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Hyacinth hīəsĭnˈthəs [key], in Greek mythology, beautiful youth loved by Apollo. He was killed accidentally by a discus thrown by the god. According to another legend, the wind god Zephyr, out of...

Blunt, Wilfrid Scawen

(Encyclopedia)Blunt, Wilfrid Scawen skōˈĭn [key], 1840–1922, English poet and political writer. After retiring c.1872 from the diplomatic service, he began a career of travel and political crusading. He wrote ...

Buck, Pearl Sydenstricker

(Encyclopedia)Buck, Pearl Sydenstricker sīˈdənstrĭkˌər [key], 1892–1973, American author, b. Hillsboro, W.Va., grad. Randolph-Macon Women's College, 1914, the first American woman to receive (1938) the Nobe...

slang

(Encyclopedia)slang, vernacular vocabulary not generally acceptable in formal usage. It is notable for its liveliness, humor, emphasis, brevity, novelty, and exaggeration. Most slang is faddish and ephemeral, but s...