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pardon

(Encyclopedia) pardon, in law, exemption from punishment for a criminal conviction granted by the grace of the executive of a government. A general pardon to a class of persons guilty of the same…

Colossus of Rhodes

(Encyclopedia) Colossus of RhodesColossus of Rhodeskəlŏsˈəs [key], large statue of Helios, the sun god, destroyed by an earthquake in antiquity. Consider one of the Seven Wonders of the World by the…

commando

(Encyclopedia) commando, small, elite military raiding and assault unit or soldier. Although the word was coined in the Boer War (1899–1902), the role is as old as battles themselves. In 1940, when…

Flaubert, Gustave

(Encyclopedia) Flaubert, GustaveFlaubert, Gustavegüstävˈ flōbĕrˈ [key], 1821–80, French novelist, regarded as one of the supreme masters of the realistic novel. He was a scrupulous, slow writer,…

Hartford, John Cowan

(Encyclopedia) Hartford, John Cowan, 1937- 20, American singer, songwriter, and banjo player, b. St. Louis, Mo., as John Cowan Harford, Washington…

hall

(Encyclopedia) hall, a communicating passageway or, in medieval buildings, the large main room. In the feudal castle of N Europe it was a single apartment, and in it lord and retainers lounged, ate,…

Čapek, Karel

(Encyclopedia) Čapek, KarelČapek, Karelkäˈrĕl [key]Čapek, Karel chäˈpĕk [key] 1890–1938, Czech playwright, novelist, and essayist. He is best known as the author of two brilliant satirical plays—R. U…

Burroughs, William Seward

(Encyclopedia) Burroughs, William Seward, 1914–97, American novelist, b. St. Louis, grad. Harvard, 1936, moved to New York City, 1943. He was an elder member of the beat generation. Junkie (1953),…

Ungaretti, Giuseppe

(Encyclopedia) Ungaretti, GiuseppeUngaretti, Giuseppej&oomacr;zĕpˈpā &oomacr;ngärĕtˈtē [key], 1888–1970, Italian poet, critic, and translator, b. Alexandria, Egypt. Ungaretti spent his youth…

Valentinus

(Encyclopedia) ValentinusValentinusvăləntēˈnəs [key], fl. c.135–c.160, founder of the Valentinians, the most celebrated of the Gnostic sects (see Gnosticism) of the 2d cent. The little that is known…