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Round Table

(Encyclopedia)Round Table, in Arthurian legend, the table at which King Arthur and his knights held court. It was allegedly fashioned at the behest of Arthur to prevent quarrels among the knights over precedence. A...

Arthurian legend

(Encyclopedia)Arthurian legend, the mass of legend, popular in medieval lore, concerning King Arthur of Britain and his knights. Although there are innumerable variations of the Arthurian legend, the basic story...

Kiritimati

(Encyclopedia)Kiritimati kərĭsˈməs [key], largest atoll in the Pacific (1990 pop. 2,537), 222 sq mi (575 sq km), in the Line Islands, one of the island groups that compose the Republic of Kiribati. It was previ...

Excalibur

(Encyclopedia)Excalibur ĕkskălˈĭbər [key], in Arthurian legend, sword given to King Arthur by the Lady of the Lake. At Arthur's death Sir Bedivere threw Excalibur into the lake; a hand rose from the water, cau...

Northfleet

(Encyclopedia)Northfleet, town (1991 pop. 26,250), Kent, SE England. Shipbuilding and the production of cement and paper are the main industries. In the center of town is a Roman Catholic church designed by George ...

satire

(Encyclopedia)satire, term applied to any work of literature or art whose objective is ridicule. It is more easily recognized than defined. From ancient times satirists have shared a common aim: to expose foolishne...

Lawes, Sir John Bennet

(Encyclopedia)Lawes, Sir John Bennet, 1814–1900, English agriculturist. He founded the famous experimental farm at Rothamsted, where, with the English chemist Sir J. H. Gilbert, he experimented with plants and an...

George Washington Bridge

(Encyclopedia)George Washington Bridge, vehicular suspension bridge across the Hudson River, between Manhattan borough of New York City and Fort Lee, N.J.; constructed 1927–31. It is one of the longest suspension...

Hare, Sir John

(Encyclopedia)Hare, Sir John, 1844–1921, English actor-manager, whose original name was John Fairs. From 1856 to 1874 he was a prominent actor with the Bancrofts' company in the plays of Tom Robertson. He managed...

Jouett, Matthew Harris

(Encyclopedia)Jouett, Matthew Harris jōˈət [key], 1787–1827, American painter, b. Mercer co., Ky., studied in Boston with Gilbert Stuart. He was the first prominent painter in the West. Among his more than 300...