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drill, tool

(Encyclopedia)drill, tool used to create a hole, usually in some hard substance, by its rotary or hammering action. Many different tools make up the drill family. The awl is a pointed instrument used for piercing s...

Pericles

(Encyclopedia)Pericles pĕrˈĭklēz [key], c.495–429 b.c., Athenian statesman. He was a member of the Alcmaeonidae family through his mother, a niece of Cleisthenes. He first came to prominence as an opponent of...

Marshall, John

(Encyclopedia)Marshall, John, 1755–1835, American jurist, 4th chief justice of the United States (1801–35), b. Virginia. Marshall in his arguments drew much from his colleagues, especially his devoted adhe...

hunting

(Encyclopedia)hunting, act of seeking, following, and killing wild animals for consumption or display. It differs from fishing in that it involves only land animals. Hunting was a necessary activity of early humans...

pragmatism

(Encyclopedia)pragmatism prăgˈmətĭzəm [key], method of philosophy in which the truth of a proposition is measured by its correspondence with experimental results and by its practical outcome. Thought is consid...

protection

(Encyclopedia)protection, practice of regulating imports and exports with the purpose of shielding domestic industries from foreign competition. To accomplish that end, certain imports may be excluded entirely, imp...

Hesse

(Encyclopedia)Hesse hĕs, hēsˈē, hĕsˈə [key], Ger. Hessen, state, 8,150 sq mi (24,604 sq km),...

Edison, Thomas Alva

(Encyclopedia)Edison, Thomas Alva, 1847–1931, American inventor, b. Milan, Ohio. A genius in the practical application of scientific principles, Edison was one of the greatest and most productive inventors of his...

hedge fund

(Encyclopedia)hedge fund, in finance, a largely unregulated investment device with a relatively small number of investors that aims to outperform the markets. Originating in the 1950s, the funds “hedge” by offs...

voting machine

(Encyclopedia)voting machine, instrument for recording and counting votes. The voting machine itself is generally positioned in a booth, often closed off by a curtain to assure secrecy for the voter. In the case of...