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Donen, Stanley

(Encyclopedia)Donen, Stanley, 1924–2019, American film director, choreographer, and producer, b. Columbia, S.C. He is best known for directing some of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer's finest musicals. In 1940 Donen danced i...

sacrament

(Encyclopedia)sacrament [Lat.,=something holy], an outward sign of something sacred. In Christianity, a sacrament is commonly defined as having been instituted by Jesus and consisting of a visible sign of invisible...

Keith, James Francis Edward

(Encyclopedia)Keith, James Francis Edward, 1696–1758, Scottish field marshal of Prussia; brother of George Keith, 10th earl marischal [marshal] of Scotland. He participated in the Jacobite uprising of 1715 and in...

Megan's law

(Encyclopedia)Megan's law, in the United States, a state or federal statute that requires the notification of public organizations and private citizens when a convicted sex offender has been released from prison an...

Kloster-Zeven, Convention of

(Encyclopedia)Kloster-Zeven, Convention of klôsˈtər-tsāˈfən [key], 1757. Early in the Seven Years War the English army, under the command of the duke of Cumberland, son of George II, was defeated by the Frenc...

Halcyone

(Encyclopedia)Halcyone ăl– [key], in Greek mythology, daughter of Aeolus and wife of Ceyx. When her husband drowned, Halcyone threw herself into the sea. Out of pity the gods changed the pair into kingfishers or...

József, Attila

(Encyclopedia)József, Attila äˈtĭlä yōˈzhĕf [key], 1905–37, Hungarian poet. Born in Budapest of a poor family, József had to support himself from the age of seven with menial jobs; he was never able to e...

Alston, Walter Emmons

(Encyclopedia)Alston, Walter Emmons, 1911–84, American baseball manager, b. Venice, Ohio. Nicknamed Smokey, he played one major-league game, for the St. Louis Cardinals in 1936, and struck out in his one at bat. ...

Ebner-Eschenbach, Marie, Baronin von

(Encyclopedia)Ebner-Eschenbach, Marie, Baronin von märēˈ bärōˈnĭn fən ābˈnər-ĕshˈənbäkh [key], 1830–1916, Austrian writer. She began writing lyrics and plays with small success, but in middle age a...

Crespi, Giuseppe Maria

(Encyclopedia)Crespi, Giuseppe Maria krāsˈpē [key], 1665–1747, Italian painter of the Bolognese school, called Lo Spagnuolo. He is well represented in and around Bologna. His best-known works are the imposing...