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opal
opal , a mineral consisting of poorly crystalline to amorphous silica, SiO 2 · n H 2 O; the water content is quite variable but usually ranges from 3% to 10%. Common opal is usually colorless or white, but it may be gray, brown, yellow, or red; the color is due to fine-grained impurities. Opa...
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Guerrero
Guerrero state (1990 pop. 2,620,637), 24,887 sq mi (64,457 sq km), S Mexico, on the Pacific Ocean. The capital is Chilpancingo . Dominated by the Sierra Madre del Sur, which reaches 12,149 ft (3,703 m) in the Pico de Teotepec, Guerrero is extremely mountainous except for a narrow coastal strip, wh...
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euphuism
euphuism , in English literature, a highly elaborate and artificial style that derived from the Euphues (1578) of John Lyly and that flourished in England in the 1580s. It was characterized by extensive use of simile and illustration, balanced construction, alliteration, and antithesis. Euphuism...
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Ophir
Ophir , in the Bible. 1 Seaport or region from which the ships of Solomon brought fine gold in great quantity. Sandalwood, precious stones, ivory, apes, and peacocks were also part of the triennial cargo. The location of Ophir is unknown. It has been variously identified with NE Africa, SE Arabia,...
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treasure-trove
treasure-trove in English law, buried or concealed money or precious metals without any ascertainable owner. Such property belongs to the crown. The present practice in Great Britain is for the crown to pay the finder for the treasure-trove if it is of historic or artistic value. In the United Stat...
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throne
throne chair of state or the seat of a high dignitary. The throne was at first a stool or bench and later became an ornate armchair, usually raised on a dais and surmounted by a canopy. Often lavishly decorated, thrones have been made of a variety of materials, including wood, stone, ivory, and pre...
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aloes
aloes , drug obtained from the aloe ; also a biblical name for an aromatic substance of various uses, mentioned in connection with myrrh and spices and thought to be the fragrant wood of the modern aloeswood (also called eaglewood, agalloch, or agilawood), an Aquilaria native to Asia. In the East...
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cameo
cameo , small relief carving, usually on striated precious or semiprecious stones or on shell. The design, often a portrait head, is commonly cut in the light-colored vein, and the dark one is left as the background. Glass of two colors in layers may be cameo-cut; a famous Roman example is the Port...
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demonetization
demonetization , governmental withdrawal of the monetary quality from particular coinage or precious metal. By demonetization former money is no longer legal tender, although in certain cases it may still be used as money of exchange, i.e., the actual metallic value may sometimes be accepted in disc...
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ruby
ruby precious stone, the transparent red variety of corundum , found chiefly in Myanmar, Thailand, and Sri Lanka and classified among the most valuable of gems. The Myanmarese stones are blood red, the most valued tint being the "pigeon's blood." The Thai stones are darker and the Sri Lankan s...
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