Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

73 results found

Richthofen, Manfred, Baron von

(Encyclopedia)Richthofen, Manfred, Baron von mänˈfrāt [key], 1892–1918, German aviator in World War I. He was credited with the spectacular achievement of shooting down 80 aircraft; he was killed in action on ...

Ferguson

(Encyclopedia)Ferguson, city (2020 pop. 20,359), St. Louis co., E Mo., a suburb of St. Louis; inc. 1894. It is primarily residential. In Aug. 2014, the shooting of an...

Hardin, John Wesley

(Encyclopedia)Hardin, John Wesley, 1853–95, American desperado, b. Bonham, Tex. In the lawless violence of the frontier the boy early became a gambler and a gunman, but was able by his shooting skill and the help...

flamethrower

(Encyclopedia)flamethrower, mechanism for shooting a burning stream of liquid or semiliquid fuel at enemy troops or positions. Primitive types of flamethrowers, consisting of hollow tubes filled with burning coals,...

Oakley, Annie

(Encyclopedia)Oakley, Annie, 1860–1926, American theatrical performer, b. Darke co., Ohio. Her original name was Phoebe Anne Oakley Mozee. From childhood on she was a “dead shot” with a rifle. She defeated in...

Orion, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Orion ōrīˈən [key], in Greek mythology, Boeotian hunter. When Oenopion delayed giving his daughter Merope to him, Orion, when drunk, violated her. Oenopion then blinded him, but his vision was res...

Aloadae

(Encyclopedia)Aloadae ălōīˈdē [key], in Greek mythology, two giants who warred against the Olympian gods. Their names were Otus and Ephialtes, and they were sons of Aloeus' wife by Poseidon. They tried to reac...

Fink, Mike

(Encyclopedia)Fink, Mike, 1770?–1823?, American border hero, whose exploits have been so elaborated in legend that the actual facts of his life are difficult to discover. He was born probably at the frontier post...

West, Jerry

(Encyclopedia)West, Jerry (Jerome Alan West), 1938–, American basketball player, b. Cheylan, W.Va. One of the game's great shooting guards, he led West Virginia Univ. to the 1959 National Collegiate Athletic Asso...

Bjørndalen, Ole Einar

(Encyclopedia)Bjørndalen, Ole Einar, 1974–, Norwegian biathlete, generally regarded as the greatest champion in the history of the biathlon, a combination of cross-country skiing and target-shooting. He competed...

Browse by Subject