Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

231 results found

essay

(Encyclopedia)essay, relatively short literary composition in prose, in which a writer discusses a topic, usually restricted in scope, or tries to persuade the reader to accept a particular point of view. Although ...

Kilkenny, town, Republic of Ireland

(Encyclopedia)Kilkenny kĭlkĕnˈē [key], Gaelic Cill Chainnigh, town (1991 pop. 8,515), seat of Co. Kilkenny, S Republic of Ireland, on the Nore River. The districts of Irishtown and Englishtown, separated by a s...

Somers, John Somers, Baron

(Encyclopedia)Somers, John Somers or Sommers, Baron sŭmˈərz [key], 1651–1716, English jurist and statesman. In the Glorious Revolution he secured Parliament's acceptance of the official statement that James II...

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...

Zane, Ebenezer

(Encyclopedia)Zane, Ebenezer, 1747–1811, American pioneer and land speculator, b. near what is now Moorefield, W.Va. (then Virginia). With his brothers Silas and Jonathan, he went west in 1769 and established the...

chimney swallow

(Encyclopedia)chimney swallow: see swift.

Mephibosheth

(Encyclopedia)Mephibosheth mĭfĭbˈəshĕth [key], in the Bible. 1 Jonathan's lame. David restored Saul's lands to him, and spared him when he gave the Gibeonites seven of Saul's descendants to settle a blood debt...

Quabbin Reservoir

(Encyclopedia)Quabbin Reservoir kwŏbˈĭn [key], 39 sq mi (101 sq km), in the Swift River valley, central Mass., NE of Springfield. The reservoir, formed by Winsor Dam and Quabbin Dike, is the largest reservoir in...

Melech

(Encyclopedia)Melech mēˈlĕk [key], in the Bible, great-grandson of Jonathan. ...

Ezel, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Ezel ēˈzəl [key], in the Bible, rock where David said farewell to Jonathan. ...