Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

boulder, in geology

(Encyclopedia)boulder, large rock fragment formed by detachment from its parent consolidated rock by weathering and erosion. In engineering and geology, especially in the United States, the term is applied to loose...

bow, in music

(Encyclopedia)bow bō [key], implement used in playing stringed instruments. Its name originated from the fact that in its early form it resembled an archer's bow, but by the 17th cent. the European bow had gradual...

brake, in technology

(Encyclopedia)CE5 Shoe brake CE5 Disk brake brake, in technology, device to slow or stop the motion of a mechanism or vehicle. The vacuum brake system, or vacuum brake, depends upon the use of a vacuum to ...

buffalo, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)buffalo, name commonly applied to the American bison but correctly restricted to certain related African and Asian mammals of the cattle family. The water buffalo, or Indian buffalo, Bubalus bubalis, ...

bug, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)bug, common name correctly applied to insects belonging to the order Hemiptera, although members of the order Homoptera (e.g., mealybug) are sometimes referred to as bugs, as are other insects in gene...

bull, in zoology

(Encyclopedia)bull: see cattle.

agglutination, in biochemistry

(Encyclopedia)agglutination, in biochemistry: see immunity. ...

agglutination, in linguistics

(Encyclopedia)agglutination, in linguistics: see inflection. ...

Brethren in Christ

(Encyclopedia)Brethren in Christ: see River Brethren. ...

bronze, in art

(Encyclopedia)bronze, in art: see bronze sculpture. ...