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Wodehouse, P. G.

(Encyclopedia)Wodehouse, P. G. (Sir Pelham Grenville Wodehouse) wo͝odˈhousˌ [key], 1881–1975, English-American novelist and humorist. After a short period, first working at a bank and then writing for a London...

short story

(Encyclopedia)short story, brief prose fiction. The term covers a wide variety of narratives—from stories in which the main focus is on the course of events to studies of character, from the “short short” sto...

Australian languages

(Encyclopedia)Australian languages, aboriginal languages spoken on the continent of Australia. The Australian languages do not appear to be related to any other linguistic family. The exact number of these language...

Victorian style

(Encyclopedia)Victorian style, in British and American architecture, an eclectic mode based on the revival of older styles, often in new combinations. Although the style is named after the reign (1837–1901) of Qu...

Shephatiah

(Encyclopedia)Shephatiah shĕfətīˈə [key], in the Bible. 1 One of David's mighty men. 2 Chief Simeonite under David. 3 Son of David. 4 Son of Jehoshaphat. 5 Prince in Jeremiah's time. 6 Shephathiah: Benjamite. ...

Beatty, David Beatty, 1st Earl

(Encyclopedia)Beatty, David Beatty, 1st Earl bēˈtē [key], 1871–1936, British admiral. He served with distinction in Egypt and Sudan (1896–98) and in the Boxer Uprising (1900) in China. Made rear admiral in 1...

Mastroianni, Marcello

(Encyclopedia)Mastroianni, Marcello märchĕlˈlō mästrōyänˈnē [key], 1924–96, Italian movie actor, b. Fontana Liri, Italy. Known for his striking good looks and his world-weary introspective air, he was di...

Bogarde, Sir Dirk

(Encyclopedia)Bogarde, Sir Dirk dûrk bōˈgärd [key], 1921–99, English film actor, b. Hampstead as Derek Niven Van den Bogaerde. In his early career Bogarde played romantic leads in such films as So Long at the...

Azmaveth

(Encyclopedia)Azmaveth ăzmāˈvĕth [key], in the Bible. 1 One of David's mighty men. 2 David's treasurer, perhaps the same as 1. 3 Father of two of David's warriors. He may be the same as 1 or 2, or the name may ...

Alexander I, king of Scotland

(Encyclopedia)Alexander I, 1078?–1124, king of Scotland (1107–24), son of Malcolm III and St. Margaret of Scotland. He succeeded his brother Edgar, who had divided the kingdom so that Alexander ruled only N of ...