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Porson, Richard

(Encyclopedia)Porson, Richard, 1759–1808, English classical scholar, b. Norfolk. A poor boy, he showed such astonishing powers of memory that patrons sent him through Eton and Cambridge. He was appointed regius p...

pun

(Encyclopedia)pun, use of words, usually humorous, based on (a) the several meanings of one word, (b) a similarity of meaning between words that are pronounced the same, or (c) the difference in meanings between tw...

O Salutaris Hostia

(Encyclopedia)O Salutaris Hostia sălˌyo͞otârˈĭs, säˌlo͞otäˈrĭs [key] [Lat.,=O saving victim], hymn to the Host, one of the two hymns regularly sung at the Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament in the Rom...

Avoca

(Encyclopedia)Avoca or Ovoca əvōˈkə [key], river, c.15 mi (24 km) long, formed by the union of the Avonmore and Avonbeg rivers, in Co. Wicklow, E Republic of Ireland. It flows SE to the Irish Sea at Arklow. The...

Altman, Sidney

(Encyclopedia)Altman, Sidney, 1939–, Canadian-American molecular biologist, b. Montreal, Ph.D., Univ. of Colorado, 1967. A professor at Yale Univ. since 1971, he discovered that RNA could function as enzymes; it ...

Etty, William

(Encyclopedia)Etty, William, 1787–1849, English painter. He studied with Sir Thomas Lawrence and later in Italy, where Venetian painting made a lasting impression on him. Etty is best known for his spirited figur...

Elgin, Thomas Bruce, 7th earl of

(Encyclopedia)Elgin, Thomas Bruce, 7th earl of, 1766–1841, British diplomat. He served on diplomatic missions to Vienna, Brussels, Berlin, and Constantinople. While in Constantinople (1799–1803), he arranged fo...

Fordham University

(Encyclopedia)Fordham University fôrˈdəm [key], in New York City; Jesuit; coeducational; founded as St. John's College 1841, chartered as a university 1846; renamed 1907. Fordham College for men and Thomas More ...

Gerry, Elbridge Thomas

(Encyclopedia)Gerry, Elbridge Thomas, 1837–1927, American reformer, b. New York City; grandson of Elbridge Gerry. Admitted (1860) to the New York bar, he came to be adviser to the American Society for the Prevent...

Gilmer, Thomas Walker

(Encyclopedia)Gilmer, Thomas Walker, 1802–44, U.S. Secretary of the Navy (Feb., 1844), b. Albemarle co., Va. He practiced law, served in the Virginia legislature, and became (1840) governor of Virginia. Elected t...
 

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