Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

310 results found

limerick, in poetry

(Encyclopedia)limerick, type of humorous verse. It is always short, often nonsensical, and sometimes ribald. Of unknown origin, the limerick is popular rather than literary and has even been used in advertising. Th...

Isaac

(Encyclopedia)Isaac īˈzək [key] [Heb.,=laughter], according to the patriarchal narratives of the Book of Genesis, Isaac was the only son of Abraham and Sara. He married Rebecca, and their sons were Esau and Jaco...

El-beth-el

(Encyclopedia)El-beth-el [Heb.,=God of the house of God], in the Bible, name given by Jacob to a place in Canaan where God appeared to him.

Dinah

(Encyclopedia)Dinah dīˈnə [key], in the Bible, daughter of Jacob and Leah. ...

Edar

(Encyclopedia)Edar ēˈdär [key], in the Bible, tower, near which Jacob pitched his tent. ...

Zilpah

(Encyclopedia)Zilpah zĭlˈpə [key], in the Bible, Leah's maid, mother of two of Jacob's sons. ...

Cuyp

(Encyclopedia)Cuyp or Kuyp both: koip [key], family of Dutch painters of Dordrecht. Jacob Gerritszoon Cuyp, 1594–c.1651, pupil of Abraham Bloemaert, was a portrait and landscape painter. His stepbrother and pupil...

Abel-mizraim

(Encyclopedia)Abel-mizraim āˈbəl-mĭzrāˈĭm [key], in the Bible, place “beyond Jordan” where Jacob was mourned. ...

Leah

(Encyclopedia)Leah lēˈə [key], in the Bible, Laban's elder, less beautiful daughter and Jacob's first wife. ...

Gimbel

(Encyclopedia)Gimbel gĭmˈbəl [key], family of American merchants and philanthropists. Adam Gimbel, 1815–96, b. Bavaria, emigrated (1835) to the United States and traveled up and down the Mississippi River pedd...