Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Callaghan, Morley

(Encyclopedia)Callaghan, Morley (Morley Edward Callaghan) kălˈəhănˌ [key], 1903–90, Canadian novelist. During the 1920s he spent time in Paris, where he became friends with Ernest Hemingway, whose influence ...

relativity

(Encyclopedia)relativity, physical theory, introduced by Albert Einstein, that discards the concept of absolute motion and instead treats only relative motion between two systems or frames of reference. One consequ...

Nicholson, Samuel

(Encyclopedia)Nicholson, Samuel, 1743–1811, American naval officer, b. Maryland. The brother of James Nicholson, he served in the Continental navy during the American Revolution, making many successful captures. ...

McClure Strait

(Encyclopedia)McClure Strait, arm of the Beaufort Sea, c.170 mi (270 km) long and 60 mi (100 km) wide, Northwest Territories, Canada. It extends W from Viscount Melville Sound, between Melville and Eglinton islands...

Larkin, Oliver Waterman

(Encyclopedia)Larkin, Oliver Waterman, 1896–1970, American art historian, b. Medford, Mass. Larkin taught at Smith from 1924 to 1964. His major work is Art and Life in America (1949; Pulitzer Prize in history, 19...

Saint James's Palace

(Encyclopedia)Saint James's Palace, in Westminster, London, England, on St. James's Street and fronting on Pall Mall. Henry VIII built the palace and established the park around it. It was the London royal residenc...

Shephatiah

(Encyclopedia)Shephatiah shĕfətīˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 One of David's mighty men. 2 Chief Simeonite under David. 3 Son of David. 4 Son of Jehoshaphat. 5 Prince in Jeremiah's time. 6 Shephathiah: Benjamite. ...

Alajuela

(Encyclopedia)Alajuela älähwāˈlä [key], city (1995 est. pop. 48,645), capital of Alajuela prov., central Costa Rica. In the Central Valley, it is a leading commercial center for the sugar and livestock industr...

Palmer, Erastus Dow

(Encyclopedia)Palmer, Erastus Dow, 1817–1904, American sculptor, b. Pompey, N.Y., self-taught. A carpenter in his youth, he spent his leisure time cutting cameos. He progressed to carving bas-reliefs and then fig...

Frost, Arthur Burdett

(Encyclopedia)Frost, Arthur Burdett, 1851–1928, American illustrator and cartoonist, b. Philadelphia; pupil of Thomas Eakins at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He worked chiefly in New York City and be...