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Robertson, Thomas William

(Encyclopedia)Robertson, Thomas William, 1829–71, English dramatist and actor; brother of Madge Kendal. After spending several years as an actor, he turned to playwriting, initiating the “cup and saucer” scho...

Richards, Thomas Addison

(Encyclopedia)Richards, Thomas Addison, 1820–1900, American landscape painter, illustrator, and author, b. London. He emigrated to the United States in 1831. Richards organized and was first director of the Schoo...

Rietveld, Gerrit Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Rietveld, Gerrit Thomas gĕrĭtˈ tōˈməs rētˈfĕlt [key], 1888–1965, Dutch architect and furniture designer. At first a cabinetmaker, Rietveld created (c.1917) a chair that was an important con...

Mills, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Mills, Robert, 1781–1855, American architect of the classic revival period, b. Charleston, S.C. From 1800 to 1820 he worked as an architect in Washington, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, being associat...

Tower of London

(Encyclopedia)Tower of London, ancient fortress in London, England, just east of the City and on the north bank of the Thames, covering about 13 acres (5.3 hectares). Now used mainly as a museum, it was a royal res...

Kitchen Cabinet

(Encyclopedia)Kitchen Cabinet, in U.S. history, popular name for the group of intimate, unofficial advisers of President Jackson. Early in his administration Jackson abandoned official cabinet meetings and used hea...

Adamson, Robert

(Encyclopedia)Adamson, Robert: see Hill, David Octavius. ...

Arafat

(Encyclopedia)Arafat äräfäˈ [key], granite hill, Saudi Arabia, near Mecca. The hill was an ancient pagan sanctuary and is shrouded in many legends. It is a site for prayers during the hajj, the annual Muslim pi...

Dearborn, Henry

(Encyclopedia)Dearborn, Henry, 1751–1829, American general and cabinet member, b. Hampton, N.H. He was a physician and became a captain of militia. When the American Revolution broke out, he led his company in th...

slang

(Encyclopedia)slang, vernacular vocabulary not generally acceptable in formal usage. It is notable for its liveliness, humor, emphasis, brevity, novelty, and exaggeration. Most slang is faddish and ephemeral, but s...