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Botvinnik, Mikhail Moiseyevich

(Encyclopedia)Botvinnik, Mikhail Moiseyevich, 1911–95, Soviet chess grandmaster, b. near St. Petersburg. He learned chess at the age of 12 and within a decade became the Soviet champion, a title he won seven time...

Australian kelpie

(Encyclopedia)Australian kelpie, breed of medium-sized sheepherding dog originating in Australia c.1870. It stands from 17 to 20 in. (43.2–50.8 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs from 25 to 30 lb (11.3–13.6 kg...

Arnolfo di Cambio

(Encyclopedia)Arnolfo di Cambio ärnôlˈfō dē kämˈbyō [key], b. c.1245, d. before 1310, Italian architect and sculptor. He was Nicola Pisano's chief assistant on the Siena pulpit, but he soon began to work in...

Moronobu

(Encyclopedia)Moronobu (Hishikawa Moronobu) hēshēkäˈwä mōrōˈnōbo͞o [key], c.1618–c.1694, Japanese painter and color-print designer of the ukiyo-e school. He began his career as an embroiderer. His first...

Marsh, Charles Wesley

(Encyclopedia)Marsh, Charles Wesley, 1834–1918, American inventor and editor, b. Ontario. In 1849 his family moved to De Kalb co., Ill. Assisted by his brother William, he designed a hand-binding harvester and ob...

thread

(Encyclopedia)thread, a fine twist of fibrous material, distinguished from yarn in general by being smoother, stronger, and more pliable; it is also better suited to sewing, embroidery, and lace making. Sewing or s...

repoussé

(Encyclopedia)repoussé rəpo͞osāˈ [key], the process or the product of ornamenting metallic surfaces with designs in relief hammered out from the back by hand. Gold and silver are most commonly used today for f...

compressed air

(Encyclopedia)compressed air, air whose volume has been decreased by the application of pressure. Air is compressed by various devices, including the simple hand pump and the reciprocating, rotary, centrifugal, and...

coup

(Encyclopedia)coup ko͞o [key] [Fr.,=blow], among Native North Americans of the Plains culture, a war honor, awarded for striking an enemy in such a way that it was considered an extreme act of bravery. Generally, ...

palmtop

(Encyclopedia)palmtop or hand-held personal computer, lightweight, small, battery-powered, general-purpose programmable computer. It typically had a miniaturized full-function, typewriterlike keyboard for input and...