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square

(Encyclopedia)square, closed plane figure bounded by four straight line segments of equal length and meeting at right angles. The points of intersection of the lines, or sides, are called vertices. The diagonals of...

Walker, Madam C. J.

(Encyclopedia)Walker, Madam C. J., 1867–1919, African-American entrepeneur, b. Delta, La., as Sarah Breedlove. Thought to be America's first black female millionaire, this daughter of ex-slaves was orphaned at 7,...

Saint-Gaudens, Augustus

(Encyclopedia)Saint-Gaudens, Augustus sānt-gôdˈənz [key], 1848–1907, American sculptor, b. Dublin, Ireland. His family immigrated to New York when he was an infant. An apprentice in cameo cutting at 13, he ga...

Cobbett, William

(Encyclopedia)Cobbett, William kŏbˈĭt [key], 1763?–1835, British journalist and reformer. The son of a farm laborer, he ran away from home at 14 and later joined the British army. He resigned in order to expos...

Mazzini, Giuseppe

(Encyclopedia)Mazzini, Giuseppe jo͞ozĕpˈpā mät-sēˈnē [key], 1805–72, Italian patriot and revolutionist, an outstanding figure of the Risorgimento. His youth was spent in literary and philosophical studies...

Revere, Paul

(Encyclopedia)Revere, Paul, 1735–1818, American silversmith and political leader in the American Revolution, b. Boston. In his father's smithy he learned to work gold and silver, and he became a leading silversmi...

Goldfaden, Abraham

(Encyclopedia)Goldfaden, Abraham gōldfädˈən [key], 1840–1908, Hebrew and Yiddish playwright, b. Starokonstantinov, Russia. He was the first important Yiddish playwright and a leading figure in Yiddish theater...

Joshua, persons in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Joshua jŏshˈo͞oə, –əwə [key], in the Bible. 1 Central figure of the book of Joshua. 2 High priest associated with Zerubbabel in rebuilding the Temple. 3 Owner of the field where the Ark of the...

Melchers, Gari

(Encyclopedia)Melchers, Gari gârˈē mĕlˈchərz [key], 1860–1932, American figure, genre, and portrait painter, b. Detroit, studied in Düsseldorf and Paris. In Holland he painted the canvases of Dutch peasant...

Marisol

(Encyclopedia)Marisol (María Sol Escobar) mărˈĭsŏlˌ, märēˈä sōl āskōˈbär [key], 1930–2016, Venezuelan-American sculptor, b. Paris. Marisol was first influenced by pre-Columbian sculpture and South ...