Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Derwent Water

(Encyclopedia)Derwent Water, lake, 3 mi (4.8 km) long and 1 mi (1.6 km) wide, Cumbria, NW England, formed by a widening of the River Derwent. It is surrounded by wooded hills, with the Lodore (c.90 ft/27 m) and Bar...

holy water

(Encyclopedia)holy water, in Christian churches, water blessed to symbolize spiritual cleansing. In Roman Catholic churches there is a bowl (stoup or font) of holy water near the doors, so that the faithful may ble...

Javelle water

(Encyclopedia)Javelle water or Javel water both: zhəvĕlˈ [key], Fr. eau de Javelle, aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite. It was originally made near the French town of Javelle (now part of Paris...

mineral water

(Encyclopedia)mineral water, spring water containing various mineral salts, especially the carbonates, chlorides, phosphates, silicates, sulfides, and sulfates of calcium, iron, lithium, magnesium, potassium, sodiu...

navigable water

(Encyclopedia)navigable water, in the broadest sense, a stream or body of water that can be used for commercial transportation. When, as in the early common law, the term is restricted to waters affected by tides, ...

Wast Water

(Encyclopedia)Wast Water wŏst [key], lake, 3 mi (4.8 km) long and 1⁄2 mi (.8 km) wide, in the Lake District, NW England, SW of Keswick. It is the deepest lake in England (maximum depth 258 ft/79 m). The ravine o...

water beetle

(Encyclopedia)water beetle, name for aquatic beetles of several families. They should not be confused with water bugs, which are true bugs (order Hemiptera). The predaceous diving beetles (family Dytiscidae) are a ...

Browse by Subject