Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Zhenjiang

(Encyclopedia)Zhenjiang chĭnˈkyăngˈ, jĭnˈjyängˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 405,700), S Jiangsu prov., China, a port at the junction of the Grand Canal with the Chang River. It is also on the Shanghai-Nanji...

bobbin

(Encyclopedia)bobbin, implement on which thread is wound, used in sewing, spinning, weaving, and lace making. Sometimes the wooden spools of sewing thread are called bobbins. The bobbin of a sewing machine is a met...

bearing

(Encyclopedia)bearing, machine part designed to reduce friction between moving parts or to support moving loads. There are two main kinds of bearings: the antifriction type, such as the roller bearing and the ball ...

watch

(Encyclopedia)watch, small, portable timepiece usually designed to be worn on the person. Other kinds of timepieces are generally referred to as clocks. At one time it was generally believed that the first watches ...

needle

(Encyclopedia)needle, implement of metal or other material used to carry the thread in sewing and in various forms of needlework and manufacturing. The earliest needles were merely awls or punches. Stone, bone, ivo...

Nurhaci

(Encyclopedia)Nurhaci or Nurhachi no͞orˈhächē [key], 1559–1626, Manchu national founder. He consolidated the Manchu tribes under his control and founded the administration that later ruled China as the Ch'ing...

Nanchang

(Encyclopedia)Nanchang nänˈchängˈ [key], city (1994 est. pop. 1,168,700), capital of Jiangxi prov., China, on the Gan River, near the southern end of Poyang Lake. A major transportation center, it has a port, r...

MacVeagh, Isaac Wayne

(Encyclopedia)MacVeagh, Isaac Wayne məkvāˈ [key], 1833–1917, American political figure, U.S. Attorney General (1881), b. Chester co., Pa. A lawyer, he was the son-in-law of Simon Cameron, Republican boss of Pe...

Malmö

(Encyclopedia)Malmö mälˈmö [key], city (1990 pop. 223,660), capital of Malmöhus co., S Sweden, on the Øresund opposite Copenhagen. Sweden's third largest city, it is a major naval and commercial port and an i...

Kroonstad

(Encyclopedia)Kroonstad kro͞onˈstät [key], city, part and seat of Moqhaka local municipality, Free State prov., E central South Africa, on the Vals River. It is an agricultural and industrial center. There are g...