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life preserver

(Encyclopedia)life preserver, a personal flotation device (PFD) intended to keep the wearer afloat, particularly in case of shipwreck. A Type I PFD will keep even unconscious people afloat in a face–up position; ...

Mudéjar

(Encyclopedia)Mudéjar mo͞oᵺāˈhär [key], name given to the Moors who remained in Spain after the Christian reconquest but were not converted to Christianity, and to the style of Spanish architecture and decor...

Directoire style

(Encyclopedia)Directoire style dērĕktwärˈ [key], in French interior decoration and costume, the manner prevailing about the time of the Directory (1795–99), from which the name is derived. A style transitiona...

crest

(Encyclopedia)crest, in feudal livery, an ornament of the headpiece that afforded protection against a blow. The term is incorrectly used to mean family coat of arms. Crests were widely used in the 13th cent. by fe...

Ciudad Bolívar

(Encyclopedia)Ciudad Bolívar syo͞oᵺäᵺˈ bōlēˈvär [key], city, capital of Bolívar state,...

Essaouira

(Encyclopedia)Essaouira ĕsəwērˈə [key], city, W Morocco, on the Atlantic Ocean. Essaouira's pleasant climate and picturesque location, buildings, and ruins have made it a tourist resort. Fishing and cabinetry ...

Sergiyev Posad

(Encyclopedia)Sergiyev Posad zəgôrskˈ [key], city (1989 pop. 115,000), central European Russia. It is a rail terminus and a handicraft center known for wood carvings and toys. Manufactures include farm machinery...

polyurethanes

(Encyclopedia)polyurethanes pŏlˌēyo͝orˈəthānz [key], group of plastics that may be either thermosetting or thermoplastic. Polyurethane can be made into both flexible and rigid foams. The flexible foam is oft...

plane tree

(Encyclopedia)plane tree, sycamore, or buttonwood, any species of the genus Platanus, deciduous trees of most temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere, exclusive of Africa. The hairy, dry, seedlike fruits are ...

pin

(Encyclopedia)pin. One of the earliest human artifacts, pins were at first made of thorns, bone, or wood and were used as clothing fasteners, hairpins, and meat skewers. These long, single-shaft pins were early imi...