Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Telesio, Bernardino

(Encyclopedia)Telesio, Bernardino bĕrnärdēˈnō tālāˈzyō [key], 1509–88, Italian philosopher, one of the leaders in the attack on that part of Aristotelian philosophy that had furnished the foundation for ...

riddle

(Encyclopedia)riddle, puzzling question, specifically one that consists of a fanciful description or definition of something to be guessed. A famous riddle was asked by the Sphinx: “What goes on four legs in the ...

Constantine, Donation of

(Encyclopedia)Constantine, Donation of, Lat. Constitutum Constantini, forged document, probably drafted in the 8th cent. It purported to be a grant by Roman Emperor Constantine I of great temporal power in Italy an...

Clark, Tom Campbell

(Encyclopedia)Clark, Tom Campbell, 1899–1977, U.S. attorney general (1945–49), associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1949–67), b. Dallas, Tex.; father of Ramsey Clark. He received his law degree from t...

Graham, Jorie

(Encyclopedia)Graham, Jorie, 1950–, American poet, b. New York as Jorie Pepper; daughter of Beverly Pepper. Widely regarded as one of the most important American poets of the late 20th cent., she is noted for a p...

Beham

(Encyclopedia)Beham pā– [key], name of two German Renaissance artists, brothers, who were both influenced by Dürer and later by Italian art. Hans Sebald Beham, 1500–1550, engraver, etcher, and miniaturist, wi...

twilight

(Encyclopedia)twilight, period between sunset and total darkness or between total darkness and sunrise. Total darkness does not occur immediately when the sun sinks below the horizon because light from the sun that...

radiochemistry

(Encyclopedia)radiochemistry, chemistry of radioactive substances (see radioactivity). Radioactive isotopes are very useful as tracers to study the mechanisms of complex organic reactions, since even minute amounts...

fluid mechanics

(Encyclopedia)fluid mechanics, branch of mechanics dealing with the properties and behavior of fluids, i.e., liquids and gases. Because of their ability to flow, liquids and gases have many properties in common not...

Fox, Paula

(Encyclopedia)Fox, Paula, 1923–, American writer, b. New York City. Fox's six cooly acute novels reflect her own life, particularly her miserable childhood and its psychological aftermath. Poor George (1967), her...