Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Swat

(Encyclopedia)Swat swät [key], district of the Malakand division, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (formerly North-West Frontier Province), Pakistan. Saidu Sharif is the capital. The largely inaccessible region is reached by ai...

Jos Plateau

(Encyclopedia)Jos Plateau jôs [key], region, c.3,000 sq mi (7,770 sq km), alt. c.4,200 ft (1,280 m), central Nigeria, W Africa. The plateau, composed mainly of granite, slopes gently to the north and is covered by...

Jannes and Jambres

(Encyclopedia)Jannes and Jambres jănˈēz, jămˈbrēz [key], in the Bible, opponents of Moses. Tradition gave these names to Pharaoh's magicians. One of the Pseudepigrapha bears their name. ...

corns and calluses

(Encyclopedia)corns and calluses, thickenings of the outer layer of skin where there is irritation or constant pressure. Corns are cone-shaped with their points protruding into the dermis, or inner layer of skin. T...

libel and slander

(Encyclopedia)libel and slander, in law, types of defamation. In common law, written defamation was libel and spoken defamation was slander. Today, however, there are no such clear definitions. Permanent forms of d...

Buckhaven and Methil

(Encyclopedia)Buckhaven and Methil mĕthˈĭl [key], township, Fife, E Scotland, on the Firth of Forth. A former coal ...

Glasgow, city, Scotland

(Encyclopedia)Glasgow glăsˈgō, –kō, glăzˈgō [key], city and council area, S central Scotla...

Gothic revival

(Encyclopedia)Gothic revival, term designating a return to the building styles of the Middle Ages. Although the Gothic revival was practiced throughout Europe, it attained its greatest importance in the United Stat...

Damon and Pythias

(Encyclopedia)Damon and Pythias dāˈmən, pĭthˈēəs [key], two youths whose loyalty to each other symbolizes true friendship. Pythias, a Pythagorean, condemned to death for plotting against Dionysius I of Syrac...

Urim and Thummim

(Encyclopedia)Urim and Thummim yo͞oˈrĭm, thŭmˈĭm [key], in the Bible, name of sacred instruments used for casting lots. The meaning of the two names is uncertain, as is the nature of the lots. They were in so...