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Silvretta

(Encyclopedia)Silvretta sĭlvrĕtˈə, Ger. zĭlvrĕtˈä [key], mountain group of the Alps, in E Switzerland and SW Austria. Its highest peak, Piz Linard (11,185 ft/3,409 m) is in Switzerland; Piz Buin (10,869 ft/...

Carson, Johnny

(Encyclopedia)Carson, Johnny, 1925–2005, American television entertainer, b. Corning, Iowa. Carson, who grew up in Nebraska, began his career as a magician, then wrote comedy sketches for radio and hosted daytime...

John II, king of Poland

(Encyclopedia)John II (John Casimir), 1609–72, king of Poland (1648–68), son of Sigismund III. He was elected to succeed his brother, Ladislaus IV. The turbulent period of his reign is known in Polish history a...

Kedah

(Encyclopedia)Kedah kĕˈdə, kāˈdä [key], state (1991 pop. 1,304,800), 3,660 sq mi (9,479 sq km), central Malay Peninsula, Malaysia, on the Strait of Malacca. It is bordered on the N and NE by Thailand. The cap...

Adenauer, Konrad

(Encyclopedia)Adenauer, Konrad kônˈrät äˈdənouˌər [key], 1876–1967, West German chancellor. A lawyer and a member of the Catholic Center party, he was lord mayor of Cologne and a member of the provincial ...

Bashkortostan

(Encyclopedia)Bashkortostan băshkĭrˈ [key], constituent republic, 55,444 sq mi (143,600 sq km), E European ...

Douglas, city, Isle of Man

(Encyclopedia)Douglas, city, capital of the Isle of Man, Great Britain. It is a popular resort, connected by rail to Ramsey and Port Erin, on the Irish Sea. Tourism i...

Cosway, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Cosway, Richard kŏzˈwā [key], 1740?–1821, English miniaturist. His work was elegant and modish and became highly popular in his day. There is a collection of his works in Windsor Castle. Perhaps ...

Cinco de Mayo

(Encyclopedia)Cinco de Mayo, May 5, the anniversary of Mexico's victory over France in 1862 in the Battle of Puebla, in which Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza's small, ill-equipped Mexican forces defeated a much larger French...

chili con carne

(Encyclopedia)chili con carne chĭlˈē kŏn kärˈnē [key] [Span.,=hot peppers with meat], Mexican food popular in the United States and now manufactured and canned commercially. It consists mainly of beef, beans...