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block and tackle

(Encyclopedia)block and tackle: see pulley.

Blues and Greens

(Encyclopedia)Blues and Greens, political factions in the Byzantine Empire in the 6th cent. They took their names from two of the four colors worn by the circus charioteers. Their clashes were intensified by religi...

Urim and Thummim

(Encyclopedia)Urim and Thummim yo͞oˈrĭm, thŭmˈĭm [key], in the Bible, name of sacred instruments used for casting lots. The meaning of the two names is uncertain, as is the nature of the lots. They were in so...

Weber and Fields

(Encyclopedia)Weber and Fields wĕbˈər [key], American comedy team. The partners were Joe Weber (Joseph Maurice Weber), 1867–1942, and Lew Fields (Lewis Maurice Schanfield), 1867–1941, both born in New York C...

weights and measures

(Encyclopedia)CE5 weights and measures, units and standards for expressing the amount of some quantity, such as length, capacity, or weight; the science of measurement standards and methods is known as metrology...

Osman Nuri Pasha

(Encyclopedia)Osman Nuri Pasha ōsmänˈ no͞orēˈ päshäˈ [key], 1837–1900, Turkish general. He fought in the Crimean War of 1854–56 and in Lebanon, Crete, and Arabia in the 1860s and 70s. He was made muşi...

Sirmium

(Encyclopedia)Sirmium sûrˈmēəm [key], ancient city of Pannonia. The site is near modern Sremska Mitrovica, NW Serbia. Sirmium was unimportant until occupied late in the 1st cent. b.c. by the Romans in the conqu...

Senta

(Encyclopedia)Senta sĕnˈtä [key], Hung. Zenta, city (1991 pop. 28,779), in the Vojvodina region of Serbia, on the Tisza River. A river port and an agricultural center, it has a variety of light industries. At Se...

Claudius II

(Encyclopedia)Claudius II (Marcus Aurelius Claudius), d. 270, Roman emperor (268–70), called Gothicus. A successful general under Valerian, Claudius put down the revolt in which Gallienus was killed. He succeeded...

Balkans

(Encyclopedia)Balkans, Bulg. Stara Planina stäˈrä pläˌnēnäˈ [key], major mountain range of the Balkan Peninsula and Bulgaria, extending c.350 mi (560 km) from E Serbia through central Bulgaria to the Black ...