Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

181 results found

Barry, Philip

(Encyclopedia)Barry, Philip, 1896–1949, American dramatist, b. Rochester, N.Y., grad. Yale, 1919, and studied under George Pierce Baker at Harvard. He is primarily known for his satirical, somewhat unconventional...

Robin Hood

(Encyclopedia)Robin Hood, legendary hero of 12th-century England who robbed the rich to help the poor. Chivalrous, manly, fair, and always ready for a joke, Robin Hood reflected many of the ideals of the English ye...

Fort Sumter

(Encyclopedia)Fort Sumter, fortification, built 1829–60, on a shoal at the entrance to the harbor of Charleston, S.C., and named for Gen. Thomas Sumter; scene of the opening engagement of the Civil War. Upon pass...

Mencken, H. L.

(Encyclopedia)Mencken, H. L. (Henry Louis Mencken) mĕngˈkən, mĕnˈ– [key], 1880–1956, American editor, author, and critic, b. Baltimore, studied at the Baltimore Polytechnic. Probably America's most influen...

Nottinghamshire

(Encyclopedia)Nottinghamshire nŏtˈĭng-əmshĭr [key], county (1991 pop. 980,600), 843 sq mi (2,183 sq km), central England. The county seat is at West Bridgford, in Rushcliffe. The county is divided into the adm...

Newstead Abbey

(Encyclopedia)Newstead Abbey nyo͞oˈstĭd, –stĕd [key], Nottinghamshire, central England, on the border of Sherwood Forest, between Nottingham and Mansfield. It was founded c.1170 by Henry II in atonement for t...

Ford, John, English dramatist

(Encyclopedia)Ford, John, 1586–c.1640, English dramatist, b. Devonshire. He went to London to study law but was never called to the bar. The early part of his playwriting career was taken up with collaborations, ...

Stein, Gertrude

(Encyclopedia)Stein, Gertrude, 1874–1946, American author and patron of the arts, b. Allegheny (now part of Pittsburgh), Pa. A celebrated personality, she encouraged, aided, and influenced—through her patronage...

Crutzen, Paul Jozef

(Encyclopedia)Crutzen, Paul Jozef, 1933–2021, Dutch atmospheric chemist, grad. Univ. of Stockholm (Ph.D. 1968, D.Sc. 1973). After working (1977–80) for the Nation...

Office of War Information

(Encyclopedia)Office of War Information (OWI), U.S. agency created (1942) during World War II to consolidate government information services. The OWI absorbed the functions of the Office of Facts and Figures, the O...