Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

Bishkek

(Encyclopedia)Bishkek fro͞onˈzĕ [key], city (1993 est. pop. 640,700), capital of Kyrgyzstan, on the Chu River and on a branch of the Turkistan-Siberia RR. It is a rail and highway hub and the industrial and cult...

Toller, Ernst

(Encyclopedia)Toller, Ernst ĕrnst tôlˈər [key], 1893–1939, German dramatist and poet of the expressionist school. He was imprisoned (1919–24) for participating in the Communist Bavarian revolution. In 1932 ...

silage

(Encyclopedia)silage ĕnˈsəlĭj [key], succulent, moist feed made by storing a green crop in a silo. The crop most used for silage is corn; others are sorghum, sunflowers, legumes, and grass. In a sealed silo, ty...

Pyle, Ernie

(Encyclopedia)Pyle, Ernie (Ernest Taylor Pyle), 1900–1945, American journalist, b. Dana, Ind. After working (1923–32) as a reporter, an editor, and an aviation writer, he became managing editor of the Washingto...

optical character recognition

(Encyclopedia)optical character recognition (OCR), method for the machine-reading of typeset, typed, and, in some cases, hand-printed letters, numbers, and symbols using optical sensing and a computer. The light re...

die

(Encyclopedia)die, any of various devices used for drawing wire, and for blanking, bending, cutting, machine forging, and embossing. Dies used for striking, or stamping, coins and medals are cut in intaglio, one fo...

North Kingstown

(Encyclopedia)North Kingstown kĭngˈstən, kĭngzˈtounˌ [key], town (1990 pop. 23,786), Washington co., S central R.I., on Narragansett Bay; inc. 1674 as Kings Towne, divided 1723 into North Kingstown and South ...

Oneida, city, United States

(Encyclopedia)Oneida ōnīˈdə [key], city (1990 pop. 10,850), Madison co., central N.Y.; inc. 1901. Tableware was long the best-known product, and some is still manufactured in neighboring Sherrill, N.Y. Machine ...

Mahone, William

(Encyclopedia)Mahone, William məhōnˈ [key], 1826–95, Confederate general in the American Civil War and Virginia politician, b. Southampton co., Va. He was president, chief engineer, and superintendent of the N...

veneer

(Encyclopedia)veneer vənērˈ [key], thin leaf of wood applied with glue to a panel or frame of solid wood. The art of veneer developed with early civilization. It produces richly grained effects cheaply and is us...

Browse by Subject