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Asama, Mount

(Encyclopedia)Asama, Mount –yäˈmä [key], peak, 8,425 ft (2,568 m) high, central Honshu, Japan, near Komoro. One of the largest and most active volcanoes in Japan, it erupted violently in 1783 and has frequent ...

Bruch, Max

(Encyclopedia)Bruch, Max mäks bro͞okh [key], 1838–1920, German composer. He conducted the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra (1880–83) and taught at the Berlin Hochschule (1892–1910). His Violin Concerto in G...

Zebulun

(Encyclopedia)Zebulun zĕbˈyo͞olən [key], in the Bible, son of Jacob and Leah, eponymous ancestor of one of the 12 tribes of Israel. Its allotment was in N Palestine W of Mt. Carmel. The judge Elon was from this...

scale, in music

(Encyclopedia)scale, in music, any series of tones arranged in a step-by-step rising or falling order of pitch. A scale defines the interval relationship of each tone to the others upon which the composition depend...

Job's-tears

(Encyclopedia)Job's-tears, tall tropical plant of the family Poaceae (grass family), Coix lacrymajobi, native to E Asia and Malaya but elsewhere cultivated in gardens as an annual and naturalized in the S United St...

Bonvalot, Pierre Gabriel Édouard

(Encyclopedia)Bonvalot, Pierre Gabriel Édouard pyĕr gäbrēĕlˈ ādwärˈ bôNvälōˈ [key], 1853–1933, French explorer and author. In 1880–82 he visited central Asia, explored Kohistan, and returned to Fra...

Astor, John Jacob, 1822–90, American financier

(Encyclopedia)Astor, John Jacob, 1822–90, American financier, b. New York City, educated at Columbia and Göttingen universities and at Harvard law school; son of William Backhouse Astor (1792–1875). He served ...

Tôrres Vedras

(Encyclopedia)Tôrres Vedras tōˈrəsh vāˈdrəsh [key], town (1991 pop. 13,300), Lisboa dist., W central Portugal, in Estremadura. Located in an agricultural center, it produces wine and minor manufactures. The ...

Creon

(Encyclopedia)Creon krēˈŏn [key], a name given to several minor legendary Greek kings. In the legend of Oedipus, Creon is the brother of Jocasta and after the death of Oedipus' sons becomes king of Thebes. In Eu...

Hervey of Ickworth, John Hervey, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Hervey of Ickworth, John Hervey, Baron härˈvē, hûrˈvē [key], 1696–1743, English memoirist. A temperamental figure who served in various minor offices under Robert Walpole, he is chiefly rememb...