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Ruef, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Ruef, Abraham (Abe Ruef) ro͞of [key], 1864–1936, American political boss, b. San Francisco. He practiced law in San Francisco after 1886 and became a familiar figure in San Francisco ward politics....

Villeroi, François de Neufville, duc de

(Encyclopedia)Villeroi, François de Neufville, duc de fräNswäˈ də növēlˈ dük də vēlrwäˈ [key], 1644–1730, marshal of France and favorite of King Louis XIV. In the War of the Grand Alliance, he succee...

soliloquy

(Encyclopedia)soliloquy, the speech by a character in a literary composition, usually a play, delivered while the speaker is either alone addressing the audience directly or the other actors are silent. It is most ...

Blenheim

(Encyclopedia)Blenheim blĕnˈəm [key], Ger. Blindheim, village, Bavaria, S Germany, on the Danube River. Between Blenheim and nearby Höchstädt, John Churchill, 1st duke of Marlborough, and Prince Eugene of Savo...

Blenheim, battle of

(Encyclopedia)Blenheim, battle of, major engagement of the War of the Spanish Succession (see Spanish Succession, War of the), fought on Aug. 13, 1704, at the village of Blenheim (Blindheim), near Höchstädt, Bava...

Upshaw, Gene

(Encyclopedia)Upshaw, Gene (Eugene Upshaw, Jr.), 1945–2008, American football player and labor union leader, b. Robstown, Tex. He attended Texas College of Arts and Industries (now Texas A&M, Kingsville), whe...

Limoges

(Encyclopedia)Limoges lēmôzhˈ [key], city (1990 pop. 136,407), capital of Haute-Vienne dept., W central France, on the Vienne River. It is famous for its ceramics industry, which uses the abundant kaolin in the ...

National Symphony Orchestra

(Encyclopedia)National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), Washington, D.C., founded in 1931 by Hans Kindler, who conducted the orchestra until 1949. Its first home was Constitution Hall; since 1986 it has been affiliated wi...

Gilder, Richard Watson

(Encyclopedia)Gilder, Richard Watson gĭlˈdər [key], 1844–1909, American editor and poet, b. Bordentown, N.J. In 1869 he became an editor of the magazine Hours at Home, which merged with Scribner's Monthly in 1...

Duhem, Pierre Maurice Marie

(Encyclopedia)Duhem, Pierre Maurice Marie pyĕr mōrēsˈ märēˈ düĕmˈ [key], 1861–1916, French physicist and philosopher and historian of science. After studying at the École Normale Supérieure he taught ...