Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Debye, Peter Joseph Wilhelm

(Encyclopedia)Debye, Peter Joseph Wilhelm dēbīˈ [key], 1884–1966, American physicist, b. the Netherlands. He was professor at the universities of Zürich, Utrecht, Göttingen, Leipzig, and Berlin. In 1940 he c...

Addison, Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Addison, Joseph, 1672–1719, English essayist, poet, and statesman. He was educated at Charterhouse, where he was a classmate of Richard Steele, and at Oxford, where he became a distinguished classic...

Paxton, Sir Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Paxton, Sir Joseph, 1803–65, English architect, noted for his use of glass and iron in a proto-modern manner. Beginning his career as a gardener and estate manager, he then built two greenhouses at ...

Grew, Joseph Clark

(Encyclopedia)Grew, Joseph Clark, 1880–1965, American diplomat, b. Boston. Entering diplomatic service in 1904, he held posts of increasing importance in different capitals until 1924, when he became Under Secret...

Tumulty, Joseph Patrick

(Encyclopedia)Tumulty, Joseph Patrick, 1879–1954, American politician, b. Jersey City, N.J. After his admission to the bar, he practiced law in Jersey City (1902–8) and served in the New Jersey assembly (1907�...

Bridges, Simon Joseph

(Encyclopedia)Bridges, Simon Joseph, 1976–, New Zealand lawyer and politician, b. Auckland. A Maori and a member of the conservative National party, Bridges was a lawyer and prosecutor before he was first elected...

Gérando, Joseph Marie de

(Encyclopedia)Gérando, Joseph Marie de zhôzĕfˈ märēˈ də zhāräNdōˈ [key], 1772–1842, French philosopher and political figure. Joining the insurrection in Lyons against the French Revolutionary governme...

Joseph of Arimathea, Saint

(Encyclopedia)Joseph of Arimathea, Saint ârˌĭməthēˈə [key], in the New Testament, wealthy man, probably a member of the Sanhedrin, who gave the body of Jesus a decent burial. The Christian Church has always ...

McGivney, Michael Joseph

(Encyclopedia)McGivney, Michael Joseph, 1852–1890, American Roman Catholic priest, founder of the Knights of Columbus, b. Waterbury, Conn. After studying at seminaries in Canada and the United States, he was orda...

Rutherford, Joseph Franklin

(Encyclopedia)Rutherford, Joseph Franklin, 1869–1942, American sectarian leader, b. Missouri. He became leader of the Jehovah's Witnesses (then called Russellites) after the death of the sect's founder, Charles T...