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Grampians, the

(Encyclopedia)Grampians, the, or Grampian Mountains, highest mountain system of Great Britain, extending northeast to southwest along the southern fringe of the Highlands, central Scotland. Ben Nevis (4,411 ft/1,34...

atomism

(Encyclopedia)atomism, philosophic concept of the nature of the universe, holding that the universe is composed of invisible, indestructible material particles. The theory was first advanced in the 5th cent. b.c. b...

Abimelech

(Encyclopedia)Abimelech əbĭmˈəlĕk [key], in the Bible. 1 Name or title of a king of Gerar who had various dealings with Abraham and Isaac. 2 See Ahimelech (1.) 3 Son of Gideon. He murdered his 70 brothers, exc...

Issachar

(Encyclopedia)Issachar ĭsˈəkər [key], in the patriarchal narratives of the Bible, son of Jacob and Leah and the ancestor of one of the 12 tribes. The territory allotted to the tribe of Issachar at the time of t...

Zarqa

(Encyclopedia)Zarqa or Zerka both: zärˈkä [key], in the Bible, river, 80 mi (129 km) long, rising in the hills W of Amman, N Jordan, and flowing generally north, then west, to the Jordan River; it is the ancient...

Astor, William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount

(Encyclopedia)Astor, William Waldorf Astor, 1st Viscount, 1848–1919, American-British financier, b. New York City, educated in Germany and in Italy and at the Columbia law school; son of John Jacob Astor (1822–...

Joseph, in the Bible

(Encyclopedia)Joseph, one of the heroes of the patriarchal narratives of the Book of Genesis. He is presented as the favored son of Jacob and Rachel, sold as a boy into slavery by his brothers, who were jealous of ...

St. Denis, Ruth

(Encyclopedia)St. Denis, Ruth sānt dĕnˈĭs [key], 1877–1968, American dancer, b. Newark, N.J., whose name was originally Ruth Dennis. After her debut (c.1893) she toured with David Belasco. In 1906 she began h...

Astor, William Backhouse, 1792–1875, American financier

(Encyclopedia)Astor, William Backhouse, 1792–1875, American financier, b. New York City; son of John Jacob Astor (1763–1848). Educated in Germany, he was associated with his father in business after 1818. Later...

Flinck, Govert

(Encyclopedia)Flinck, Govert gōˈvärt flĭngk [key], 1615–1660, Dutch painter. A student of Rembrandt, Flinck is remembered mainly for his numerous portraits. There is a large and representative collection of F...