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alternating current

(Encyclopedia)alternating current, abbr. AC, a flow of electric charge that undergoes periodic reverses in direction. In North America ordinary household current alternates at a frequency of 60 times per second. Se...

shrike

(Encyclopedia)shrike or butcher bird, predatory songbird found in most parts of the world except Australia and South America. The plumage of the European and North American species is mostly gray, black, and white;...

Downs, North, and South Downs

(Encyclopedia)Downs, North, and South Downs, parallel ranges of chalk hills, SE England. They rise to 965 ft (294 m) at Leith Hill, Surrey. The North Downs range, extending c.100 mi (160 km) from near Farnham, Surr...

Foreland, North, and South Foreland

(Encyclopedia)Foreland, North, and South Foreland, headlands of Kent, SE England, forming parts of the boundary of The Downs (a roadstead). South Foreland is 4 mi (6.4 km) NE of Dover, and North Foreland is near Ma...

North American Free Trade Agreement

(Encyclopedia)North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), accord establishing a free-trade zone in North America; it was signed in 1992 by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and took effect on Jan. 1, 1994. NAF...

North Country National Scenic Trail

(Encyclopedia)North Country National Scenic Trail: see National Parks and Monuments (table)national parks and monuments (table). ...

North Platte, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)North Platte plăt [key], city (1990 pop. 22,605), seat of Lincoln co., W central Nebr., at the confluence of the North Platte and South Platte rivers; inc. 1873. It is a processing and shipping point...

North Platte, river, United States

(Encyclopedia)North Platte, river, c.680 mi (1,090 km) long, rising in the Park Range, N Colo., and flowing in a great bend N through SE Wyo., then east across the plains of W central Nebr. to join the South Platte...

Uist, North, and South Uist

(Encyclopedia)Uist, North yo͞oˈĭst, o͞oˈ– [key], and South Uist, islands, two of the Outer Hebrides, Western Isles council area, NW Scotland. North Uist (1985 est. pop. 3,300), is 18 mi (29 km) long and 13 m...

Beveland, North, and South Beveland

(Encyclopedia)Beveland, North, and South Beveland bāˈvəlänt [key], peninsula developed from the above former islands, Zeeland prov., SW Netherlands, in the Scheldt estuary. As a result of Dutch plans for a delt...