Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Assiniboine

(Encyclopedia)Assiniboine əsĭnˈəboin [key], river, 590 mi (950 km) long, rising in S Sask., Canada, and flowing SE into Man. then E to the Red River at Winnipeg; named for the local Native Americans, the Assini...

Norwich terrier

(Encyclopedia)Norwich terrier, breed of small, sturdy terrier developed in England in the second half of the 19th cent. It stands about 10 in. (25.4 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 11 lb (4.9 kg). The har...

ocher

(Encyclopedia)ocher ōˈkər [key], mixture of varying proportions of iron oxide and clay, used as a pigment. It occurs naturally as yellow ocher (yellow or yellow-brown in color), the iron oxide being limonite, or...

Weatherford, William

(Encyclopedia)Weatherford, William, c.1780–1824, Native American chief, b. present-day Alabama, also called Red Eagle. In the War of 1812 he led the Creek war party, stirred by Tecumseh, against the Americans. On...

tourniquet

(Encyclopedia)tourniquet to͝orˈnĭkĕt, –kā, tûrˈ– [key], compression device used to cut off the flow of blood to a part of the body, most often an arm or leg. It may be a special surgical instrument, a ru...

bloodworm

(Encyclopedia)bloodworm, name for the larva of the midge and for a red-blooded marine polychaete worm. ...

Baal-zephon

(Encyclopedia)Baal-zephon bāˈəl-zēˈfŏn [key], in the Bible, place near the Israelites' crossing of the Red Sea. ...

stork

(Encyclopedia)stork, common name for members of a family of long-legged wading birds. The storks are related to the herons and ibises and are found in most of the warmer parts of the world. Storks have long, broad,...

Ibizan hound

(Encyclopedia)Ibizan hound ēbēˈzŏn, ĭbˈə– [key], also called Ibizan Podenco, breed of tall, swift dog of ancient origin now found chiefly in the Balearic Islands and other areas of Spain. It stands from 22...

nitrogen mustard

(Encyclopedia)nitrogen mustard, any of various poisonous compounds originally developed for military use (see poison gas). Like mustard gas and lewisite, it is a vesicant (blistering agent). In the form of its crys...