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water polo

(Encyclopedia)water polo, swimming game encompassing features of soccer, football, basketball, and hockey. The object of the game is to maneuver, by head, feet, or hand, a leather-covered ball 27 to 28 in. (about 7...

polo

(Encyclopedia)polo, indoor or outdoor ball and goal game played on horseback. Some historians claim that polo originated in Persia in the 6th cent.; it spread to Turkey, India, and Tibet and, with some modificati...

Marco Polo

(Encyclopedia)Marco Polo: see Polo, Marco.

Polo, Marco

(Encyclopedia)Polo, Marco märˈkō pōˈlō [key], 1254?–1324?, Venetian traveler in China. His father, Niccolò Polo, and his uncle, Maffeo Polo, had made (1253–60) a trading expedition to Constantinople. A w...

water

(Encyclopedia)CE5 A. Water molecule (black circles represent valence-shell electrons) B. Structure of ice: Each oxygen atom (white circles) is bonded to four other oxygen atoms by hydrogen bonds, the hydrogen at...

Derwent Water

(Encyclopedia)Derwent Water, lake, 3 mi (4.8 km) long and 1 mi (1.6 km) wide, Cumbria, NW England, formed by a widening of the River Derwent. It is surrounded by wooded hills, with the Lodore (c.90 ft/27 m) and Bar...

holy water

(Encyclopedia)holy water, in Christian churches, water blessed to symbolize spiritual cleansing. In Roman Catholic churches there is a bowl (stoup or font) of holy water near the doors, so that the faithful may ble...

heavy water

(Encyclopedia)heavy water: see deuterium.

Javelle water

(Encyclopedia)Javelle water or Javel water both: zhəvĕlˈ [key], Fr. eau de Javelle, aqueous solution of sodium or potassium hypochlorite. It was originally made near the French town of Javelle (now part of Paris...

navigable water

(Encyclopedia)navigable water, in the broadest sense, a stream or body of water that can be used for commercial transportation. When, as in the early common law, the term is restricted to waters affected by tides, ...