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Thou, Jacques Auguste de

(Encyclopedia)Thou, Jacques Auguste de zhäk ôgüstˈ də to͞o [key], 1553–1617, French historian and magistrate. As a member of the Parlement of Paris, Thou rendered outstanding service to Henry IV. The first ...

scalping

(Encyclopedia)scalping, taking the scalp of an enemy. The custom, comparable to head-hunting, was formerly practiced in Europe and Asia (Herodotus describes its practice by the Scythians, for example), but it is ge...

Scapa Flow

(Encyclopedia)Scapa Flow skăpˈə [key], area of water, 15 mi (24 km) long and 8 mi (12.9 km) wide, in the Orkney Islands, off N Scotland. It is bounded by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsa...

Schurman, Jacob Gould

(Encyclopedia)Schurman, Jacob Gould shûrˈmən [key], 1854–1942, American educator and diplomat, b. Freetown, Prince Edward Island. His education was completed in London, Edinburgh, and, as Hibbert fellow, in He...

Sérrai

(Encyclopedia)Sérrai sĕrˈəs [key], Lat. Serrae or Serrhae, city (1991 pop. 50,390), capital of Sérrai prefecture, NE Greece, in Macedonia. It is a trade center for tobacco, grain, and livestock. Textiles and o...

Charles William Ferdinand

(Encyclopedia)Charles William Ferdinand, 1735–1806, duke of Brunswick (1780–1806), Prussian field marshal. He had great success in the Seven Years War (1756–63) and was commander in chief (1792–94) of the A...

Alexander, William

(Encyclopedia)Alexander, William, known as Lord Stirling stûrˈlĭng [key], 1726–83, American Revolutionary general, b. New York City. Although the House of Lords rejected his claim to succeed as the 6th earl of...

Georgetown, city, Guyana

(Encyclopedia)Georgetown, city (1985 est. pop. 75,000), capital and largest city of Guyana, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Demerara River. It was known as Stabroek when the Dutch controlled the region an...

Gezer

(Encyclopedia)Gezer gēˈzər [key], ancient city of Canaan, on the coastal plain of Sharon, NW of Jerusalem. Its position guarding the road from Jerusalem to Jaffa has always given it importance, e.g., in the wars...

Extremadura

(Encyclopedia)Extremadura ĕstrəmədo͝oˈrə [key], autonomous community, 16,075 sq mi (41,634 sq km), W central Spain, ...