Columbia Encyclopedia
Search results
500 results found
orientation
(Encyclopedia)orientation, in architecture, the disposition of the parts of a building with reference to the points of the compass. From remote antiquity the traditional belief in the efficacy of religious ceremoni...contour
(Encyclopedia)contour or contour line, line on a topographic map connecting points of equal elevation above or below mean sea level. It is thus a kind of isopleth, or line of equal quantity. Contour lines are drawn...Baylor, Elgin Gay
(Encyclopedia) Baylor, Elgin Gay, 1934-2021, American basketball player, b. Washington, D.C. After playing basketball in high school, Baylor played for the College o...celestial sphere
(Encyclopedia)celestial sphere, imaginary sphere of infinite radius with the earth at its center. It is used for describing the positions and motions of stars and other objects. For these purposes, any astronomical...bloc, parliamentary
(Encyclopedia)bloc, parliamentary [Fr.,=block], group of legislators formed to support special interests. A bloc may form because of a specific issue and dissolve when that issue has been resolved, or it may have a...backgammon
(Encyclopedia)backgammon băkˈgămˌən, băkˌgămˈən [key], game of chance and skill played by two persons upon a specially marked board divided by a space, called the bar, into two tables (inner table and out...Wisconsin v. Yoder
(Encyclopedia)Wisconsin v. Yoder, case decided in 1972 by the U.S. Supreme Court, which held that Amish children could be exempted from compulsory school-attendance beyond the 8th grade; the Amish (see under Mennon...pawnbroker
(Encyclopedia)pawnbroker, one who makes loans on personal effects that are left as security. The practice of pawnbroking is ancient, as is recognition of the danger it involves of oppressing the poor. In fact, the ...Fox, river, United States
(Encyclopedia)Fox, river, 176 mi (283 km) long, rising in S central Wis. and flowing SW to within 1.5 mi (2.4 km) of Portage, Wis., on the Wisconsin River, then NE through Lake Winnebago into Green Bay, an arm of L...evening star
(Encyclopedia)evening star or morning star, planet that becomes visible in the western sky shortly after sunset or in the eastern sky shortly before sunrise. It can usually be seen in twilight, when it is too light...Browse by Subject
- Earth and the Environment +-
- History +-
- Literature and the Arts +-
- Medicine +-
- People +-
- Philosophy and Religion +-
-
Places
+-
- Africa
- Asia
- Australia and Oceania
- Britain, Ireland, France, and the Low Countries
- Commonwealth of Independent States and the Baltic Nations
- Germany, Scandinavia, and Central Europe
- Latin America and the Caribbean
- Oceans, Continents, and Polar Regions
- Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, and the Balkans
- United States, Canada, and Greenland
- Plants and Animals +-
- Science and Technology +-
- Social Sciences and the Law +-
- Sports and Everyday Life +-
