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Stanislaus I

(Encyclopedia)Stanislaus I, 1677–1766, king of Poland (1704–1709, 1733–35) and duke of Lorraine (1735–66). He was born Stanislaus Leszczynski. Early in the Northern War (1700–1721), Charles XII of Sweden ...

swimming

(Encyclopedia)swimming, self-propulsion through water, often as a form of recreation or exercise or as a competitive sport. It is mentioned in many of the classics in connection with heroic acts or religious rites....

truck

(Encyclopedia)truck, automotive vehicle designed primarily for the transportation of goods. A truck is constructed on the general lines of the automobile but uses larger and heavier parts. It may be powered by a ga...

parapsychology

(Encyclopedia)parapsychology, study of mental phenomena not explainable by accepted principles of science. The organized, scientific investigation of paranormal phenomena began with the foundation (1882) of the Soc...

Daly, Arnold

(Encyclopedia)Daly, Arnold dāˈlē [key], 1875–1927, American actor, b. Brooklyn, N.Y. He first appeared on the stage in 1892. Inspired by Richard Mansfield's production of The Devil's Disciple (1897–98), Daly...

Constance, Lake

(Encyclopedia)Constance, Lake, Ger. Bodensee, lake, 208 sq mi (539 sq km), bordering on Switzerland, Germany, and Austria. It is 42 mi (68 km) long and has a maximum depth of 827 ft (252 m). The lake is fed and dra...

San Luis Potosí, city, Mexico

(Encyclopedia)San Luis Potosí, city (1990 pop. 489,238), capital of San Luis Potosí state, central Mexico. Situated on a plain almost entirely surrounded by low mountains, the city is a mining and agricultural di...

Thompson, Jacob

(Encyclopedia)Thompson, Jacob, 1810–85, U.S. Representative (1839–51) and Secretary of the Interior (1857–61), b. Caswell co., N.C. Thompson was a prosperous lawyer and prominent Democrat of Oxford, Miss. He ...

Islamic State

(Encyclopedia)Islamic State (IS), Sunni Islamic militant group committed to the establishment of an Islamic caliphate that would unite Muslims in a transnational, strict-fundamentalist Islamic state. IS has been ma...

Area 51

(Encyclopedia)Area 51, name for a U.S. military site, S Nev., c.80 mi (130 km) NNW of Las Vegas. Shrouded in secrecy since the mid-20th cent., it is located within the U.S. Air Force's enormous Nevada Test and Trai...