Columbia Encyclopedia

Search results

500 results found

jew's-harp

(Encyclopedia)jew's-harp or jews'-harp, musical instrument of ancient lineage composed of a small metal frame containing a flexible metal tongue. The frame is held between the teeth and the metal tongue is plucked ...

bronchoscope

(Encyclopedia)bronchoscope brŏngˈkəskōpˌ [key], long, tubular instrument with a light at the tip that is inserted through the windpipe and bronchial tubes to examine these structures. By passing other instrume...

pneumatic tool

(Encyclopedia)pneumatic tool no͝omătˈĭk [key], instrument activated by air pressure. Pneumatic tools are designed around three basic devices: the air cylinder, the vane motor, and the sprayer. The air cylinder ...

monsoon

(Encyclopedia)monsoon mŏnso͞on [key] [Arab., mausium=season], wind that changes direction with change of season, notably in India and SE Asia. To a lesser degree, monsoonal winds also develop in portions of all o...

Euroclydon

(Encyclopedia)Euroclydon yûrˌəklīˈdŏn [key], in the New Testament, east or northeast storm wind that caused Paul's shipwreck on Malta. ...

piano

(Encyclopedia)piano or pianoforte, musical instrument whose sound is produced by vibrating strings struck by felt hammers that are controlled from a keyboard. The piano's earliest predecessor was the dulcimer. The ...

torsion balance

(Encyclopedia)torsion balance, instrument used to measure small forces. It is based on the principle that a wire or thread resists twisting with a force that is proportional to the stress. The torsion balance consi...

virginal

(Encyclopedia)virginal, musical instrument: see spinet. ...

double bass

(Encyclopedia)double bass, bowed stringed musical instrument, the contrabass of the modern orchestral string section. It originated as a double-bass viol, an instrument described as early as 1566. A true double-bas...

Browse by Subject