Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Flathead, river, Canada and the United States

(Encyclopedia)Flathead flătˈhĕd [key], river, c.240 mi (390 km) long, rising as the North Fork, in SE British Columbia, Canada, and flowing generally SE through NW Montana, to Coram, where it is joined by the Mi...

horseshoe

(Encyclopedia)horseshoe, narrow plate, commonly of iron or steel, shaped to fit a horse's hoof and attached to the hoof by nailing it to the inner edge of the horny wall of the hoof. Horseshoes vary from the light ...

Belluschi, Pietro

(Encyclopedia)Belluschi, Pietro pyĕˈtrō bəlo͞oˈskē [key], 1899–1994, Italian-American civil engineer, designer, and architect. Belluschi served as dean and professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Techn...

umkokola

(Encyclopedia)umkokola, small, thorny S and E African tree (Dovyalis caffra, also called kei-apple), widely cultivated in its native area for the round or oval bright yellow fruits. Their juicy pulp, acid in flavor...

Huysmans, Cornelis

(Encyclopedia)Huysmans, Cornelis kōrˈnālĭs hoisˈmäns [key], 1648–1727, Flemish painter of landscapes and religious subjects. Most of his life was spent in Malines. His landscapes, painted with a broad brush...

junco

(Encyclopedia)junco or snowbird, small seed-eating bird of North America closely related to the sparrows. Juncos have white underparts and gray (sometimes also brown) backs. They travel in flocks. The dark-eyed jun...

Wollaston, William Hyde

(Encyclopedia)Wollaston, William Hyde, 1766–1828, English scientist, M.D. Cambridge, 1793. His wide-ranging scientific achievements include the discovery (1802) of the dark lines (Fraunhofer lines) in the solar s...

Black Forest

(Encyclopedia)Black Forest, Ger. Schwarzwald, mountain range, SW Germany, extending 90 mi (145 km) between the Rhine and Neckar rivers. Feldberg is the highest (4,898 ft/1,493 m) peak. The range is covered by dark ...

rake

(Encyclopedia)rake, farm implement consisting of a row of straight or curved teeth of metal or wood attached to a bar or frame. It is used for gathering hay or grain into piles; for clearing fields, lawns, and yard...

tepee

(Encyclopedia)tepee or tipi both: tēˈpē [key], typical dwelling of Native North Americans living on the Great Plains. It was usually made by arranging tent poles into a conical frame and spreading skins, usually...