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prime minister

(Encyclopedia)prime minister or premier, chief member of the cabinet in a parliamentary system of government. The prime minister is head of the government, in contrast with the head of state, who may be a constitut...

Shelepin, Aleksandr

(Encyclopedia)Shelepin, Aleksandr əlyĭksänˈdər shĕlĕˈpĭn [key], 1918–94, political leader in the Soviet Union. Active in the Young Communist League from the early 1940s, he later became its head (1952–...

Samoa, country, SW Pacific Ocean

(Encyclopedia)Samoa, formerly Western Samoa, officially Independent State of Samoa, constitutional monarchy (2015 est. pop. 194,000), South Pacific, comprising the western half of the Samoa island chain. There are ...

Jeshua

(Encyclopedia)Jeshua or Jeshuah both: jĕshˈyo͞oə [key] [Heb.,=God helps], in the Bible. 1 See Joshua. 2 See Joshua (2.) 3 Head of a postexilic family. 4 Priestly family. 5 Head of a Levitical family. 6 Levite. ...

adze

(Encyclopedia)adze, tool similar in purpose and use to an axe but with the cutting edge at right angles to the handle rather than aligned with it. The details of construction of a particular adze will depend on its...

scalp

(Encyclopedia)scalp, the integument covering the top of the head. It consists of three layers of tissue: the skin, an underlying layer of tissue and blood vessels, and the occipitofrontalis muscle stretching from t...

headdress

(Encyclopedia)headdress, head covering or decoration, protective or ceremonial, which has been an important part of costume since ancient times. Its style is governed in general by climate, available materials, rel...

Shannon

(Encyclopedia)Shannon, principal river of the Republic of Ireland and longest (c.240 mi/390 km) in the British Isles. It rises near Cuilcagh Mt., NW Co. Cavan, and flows S through the Central Plain into Co. Limeric...

Auriemma, Geno

(Encyclopedia)Auriemma, Geno (Luigi Auriemma), 1954–, American basketball coach, b. Montella, Italy, grad. West Chester State College (now West Chester Univ. of Pennsylvania), 1977. After coaching as an assistant...