Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Tomlinson, Henry Major

(Encyclopedia)Tomlinson, Henry Major, 1873–1958, English novelist. A dockworker, then a journalist and war correspondent, he was (1917–23) literary editor of the Nation and Athenaeum. Probably his best-known no...

Converse, Frederick Shepherd

(Encyclopedia)Converse, Frederick Shepherd kŏnˈvûrs [key], 1871–1940, American composer, b. Newton, Mass., studied with J. K. Paine and G. W. Chadwick and in Germany with Rheinberger. His Pipe of Desire (Bosto...

Agassiz, Alexander

(Encyclopedia)Agassiz, Alexander ăgˈəsē [key], 1835–1910, American naturalist and industrialist, b. Neuchâtel, Switzerland; son of Louis Agassiz, stepson of Elizabeth Cary Agassiz. He came to the United Stat...

Thomasville

(Encyclopedia)Thomasville. 1 City (1990 pop. 17,457), seat of Thomas co., SW Ga., near the Fla. line; inc. 1831. It is a farm trade center, with a large fresh-vegetable market. Manufactures include lumber, clothing...

muffler

(Encyclopedia)muffler, in automobiles, device designed to reduce the noise from the exhaust of an internal-combustion engine. When the exhaust gases from an internal-combustion engine are released directly into the...

Nyos, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Nyos, Lake nēōsˈ [key], freshwater lake in a volcanic crater in North-West prov., Cameroon, 15 mi (24 km) ENE of Wum. On Aug. 21, 1986, carbon dioxide gas was released from the mineral-saturated wa...

Ashokan Reservoir

(Encyclopedia)Ashokan Reservoir əshōˈkən [key], 13 sq mi (34 sq km), SE N.Y., completed 1912. It is supplied by the Esopus and Schoharie watersheds and provides part of New York City's water supply. Water is ca...

Spalding, Gilbert R.

(Encyclopedia)Spalding, Gilbert R., 1811?–1880, American showman, b. Albany co., N.Y. Known as “Doc” because he owned a drug and paint store in the early 1840s, he acquired a circus in the mid-1840s and in 18...

putty

(Encyclopedia)putty, commonly a mixture of whiting (calcium carbonate) and boiled linseed oil. Other substances may be combined with the oil to make putties suitable for some specific purpose. For example, the red ...

pump

(Encyclopedia)pump, device to lift, transfer, or increase the pressure of a fluid (gas or liquid) or to create a vacuum in an enclosed space by the removal of a gas (see vacuum pumps under vacuum). The centrifugal ...

Browse by Subject