Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

241 results found

personal watercraft

(Encyclopedia)personal watercraft (PWC), a lightweight vessel usually less than 16 ft (5 m) long that uses an inboard water jet pump, powered by an internal-combustion engine, as its primary source of propulsion. T...

Apis

(Encyclopedia)Apis āˈpĭs [key], in Egyptian religion, sacred bull of Memphis, said to be the incarnation of Osiris or of Ptah. His worship spread throughout the Mediterranean world and was particularly important...

Boniface VIII

(Encyclopedia)Boniface VIII, 1235–1303, pope (1294–1303), an Italian (b. Anagni) named Benedetto Caetani; successor of St. Celestine V. As a cardinal he was independent of the factions in the papal court, and h...

Dōgen

(Encyclopedia)Dōgen dōˈgĕn [key], 1200–1253, Zen master (see Zen Buddhism) and founder of the Sōtō Zen school in Japan. After studying in China, he received the seal of enlightenment and succession to the T...

Duda, Andrzej Sebastian

(Encyclopedia)Duda, Andrzej Sebastian änˈjā sĕbäsˈtyän do͞odä [key], 1972–, Polish political leader, Ph.D. Jagiellonian Univ., Kraków, 2005. A member of the former Freedom Union party, he joined the Law...

Cohen, William Sebastian

(Encyclopedia)Cohen, William Sebastian, 1940–, American politician, b. Bangor, Maine. He attended Bowdoin College (B.A., 1962) and Boston Univ. (LL.B., 1965). A Republican, he was elected to the House of Represen...

Freedom of Information Act

(Encyclopedia)Freedom of Information Act (1966), law requiring that U.S. government agencies release their records to the public on request, unless the information sought falls into a category specifically exempted...

flamingo

(Encyclopedia)flamingo, common name for a large pink or red wading bird, similar to the related heron, stork, and spoonbill but with a longer neck, webbed feet, and a unique down-bent bill. Flamingos are tropical b...

Tooke, John Horne

(Encyclopedia)Tooke, John Horne, 1736–1812, English radical politician and philologist. Born John Horne, he adopted the name Tooke in 1782 after being designated heir to the estate of a rich friend, William Tooke...

Achelous, in Greek mythology

(Encyclopedia)Achelous ăkˌəlōˈəs [key], in Greek mythology, river god; son of Oceanus and Tethys. He possessed the power to appear as a bull, a serpent, or a bullheaded man. Hercules defeated him and broke of...