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Sturges, Preston

(Encyclopedia)Sturges, Preston stûrˈjĭs [key], 1898–1959, American film director, screenwriter, and producer, b. Chicago as Edmond Preston Biden. Educated in the United States and Europe, he turned to playwrit...

Deluge

(Encyclopedia)Deluge dĕlˈyo͞oj [key], in the Bible, the overwhelming flood that covered the earth and destroyed every living thing except the family of Noah and the creatures in his ark. Archaeology has yielded ...

Pasolini, Pier Paolo

(Encyclopedia)Pasolini, Pier Paolo pyĕr päˈōlō päsōlēˈnē [key], 1922–75, Italian writer and film director. A former Roman Catholic and a Marxist, Pasolini brought to his work a combination of religious ...

Brownson, Orestes Augustus

(Encyclopedia)Brownson, Orestes Augustus ôrĕsˈtēz, brounˈsən [key], 1803–76, American author and clergyman, b. Stockbridge, Vt. Largely self-taught, he became a vigorous and influential writer on social and...

Jashar, Book of

(Encyclopedia)Jashar or Jasher, Book of both: jăshˈər [key], lost Hebrew work, apparently a collection of songs celebrating national events. Fragments appear in the books of Joshua and Second Samuel. ...

Hampton University

(Encyclopedia)Hampton University, at Hampton, Va.; coeducational; founded 1868, chartered 1870 as a normal and agricultural school; known as Hampton Institute 1930–84. Founded by Samuel Chapman Armstrong, it was ...

Elkanah

(Encyclopedia)Elkanah ĕlˈkānə, ĕlkāˈnə [key], in the Bible. 1 Husband of Hannah and father of Samuel. 2 Head of a Levitical family. 3 Officer of Ahaz's household. 4 Doorkeeper of the Ark of the Covenant. ...

Abiah

(Encyclopedia)Abiah əbīˈə [key], in the Bible, variant of Abijah. 1 Wife of Hezron. 2 Second son of Samuel. ...

Agag

(Encyclopedia)Agag āˈgăg [key], in the Bible. 1 King of the Amalekites who was defeated and spared by Saul, but killed by Samuel. 2 The allusion is not understood as it occurs in the Book of Numbers. ...

Motley, John Lothrop

(Encyclopedia)Motley, John Lothrop, 1814–77, American historian and diplomat, b. Dorchester, Mass. Author of two novels concerning Thomas Morton (1839 and 1849), as well as a number of articles for the North Amer...