Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Hurd, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Hurd, Richard, 1720–1808, English theologian, editor, and critic. From 1781 until his death he was bishop of Worcester. His best-known works are Moral and Political Dialogues (1757) and Letters on C...

Common Weights and Measures (table)

(Encyclopedia)Common Weights and Measures Length Area Volume and Capacity (Liquid and Dry) Weight (Mass) ...

Brighton and Hove

(Encyclopedia)Brighton and Hove, city and unitary authority and district, SE England. It was formed by the merger of the boroughs of Brighton and Hove in 1997, and be...

Philemon and Baucis

(Encyclopedia)Philemon and Baucis, in Greek mythology, Phrygian husband and wife. When Zeus and Hermes visited earth as men, only Philemon and Baucis offered them hospitality. As a reward they were saved from a pun...

Bosnia and Herzegovina

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Bosnia and Herzegovina bŏzˈnēə, hĕrtsəgōvēˈnə [key], Serbo-Croatian ...

tar and pitch

(Encyclopedia)tar and pitch, viscous, dark-brown to black substances obtained by the destructive distillation of coal, wood, petroleum, peat, and certain other organic materials. The heating or partial burning of w...

Montagnais and Naskapi

(Encyclopedia)Montagnais năsˈkəpē [key], aboriginal peoples originally from Labrador, Canada. Because they both spoke almost identical Algonquian languages and had similar customs, the two groups are often link...

Punch and Judy

(Encyclopedia)Punch and Judy, famous English puppet play, very popular with children and given widely by strolling puppet players, especially during the Christmas season. It came to England in the 17th cent. by way...

Philomela and Procne

(Encyclopedia)Philomela and Procne fĭlōmēˈlə, prŏkˈnē [key], in Greek mythology, daughters of King Pandion of Attica. Procne married Tereus, king of Thrace, and bore him a son, Itys (or Itylus). Tereus late...

bow and arrow

(Encyclopedia)bow and arrow, weapon consisting of two parts; the bow is made of a strip of flexible material, such as wood, with a cord linking the two ends of the strip to form a tension from which is propelled th...