Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Daladier, Édouard

(Encyclopedia)Daladier, Édouard ādo͞oärˈ dälädyāˈ [key], 1884–1970, French politician, a Radical Socialist. After World War I he was a member of successive French cabinets. He was premier from Jan. to Oc...

Faulkner, Brian

(Encyclopedia)Faulkner, Brian fôkˈnər [key], 1921–77, Northern Irish politician. A Protestant businessman, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Parliament as a Unionist in 1949. As minister of home affairs (...

Massys, Quentin

(Encyclopedia)Massys, Matsys, Messys, or Metsys, Quentin kvĕnˈtĭn mäsīsˈ, mätsīsˈ, mĕ–, mĕt– [key], c.1466–1530, Flemish painter. After studying in Louvain, he moved to Antwerp by 1491, remaining i...

Simeon Stylites, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Simeon Stylites, Saint stīlīˈtēz [key] [Gr.,= of a pillar], d. 459?, Syrian hermit. He lived for more than 35 years on a small platform on top of a high pillar. He had many imitators (called styli...

Poggio Bracciolini, Gian Francesco

(Encyclopedia)Poggio Bracciolini, Gian Francesco jän fränchāsˈkō pôdˈjō brätˌchōlēˈnē [key], 1380–1459, Italian humanist. A secretary in the Roman curia, he later became chancellor and historiograph...

Riksdag

(Encyclopedia)Riksdag rēksˈdäg, rēksˈtä [key], national parliament of Sweden, formed in 1866. Originally a two-chamber legislature, it became a single chamber body in 1971. Representation in the chamber is pr...

Lewinsky scandal

(Encyclopedia)Lewinsky scandal ləwĭnˈskē [key], sensation that enveloped the presidency of Bill Clinton in 1998–99, leading to his impeachment by the U.S. House of Representatives and acquittal by the Senate....

pendulum

(Encyclopedia)pendulum, a mass, called a bob, suspended from a fixed point so that it can swing in an arc determined by its momentum and the force of gravity. The length of a pendulum is the distance from the point...

Crittenden, George Bibb

(Encyclopedia)Crittenden, George Bibb krĭtˈəndən [key], 1812–80, Confederate general, b. Russellville, Ky.; son of John J. Crittenden and brother of Thomas L. Crittenden. Upon the outbreak of the Civil War, h...

Inukai, Ki

(Encyclopedia)Inukai, Ki (Tsuyoshi) kē ĭno͞oˈkī; tso͞oyōˈshē [key], 1855–1932, Japanese statesman. He became president of the Seiyukai party in 1929 and was prime minister from Jan. to May, 1932. His cab...