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Gesta Romanorum
Gesta Romanorum , medieval collection of Latin stories. Although the title means "Deeds of the Romans," the tales have very little to do with actual Roman history. Each tale is characterized by a moral. The earliest manuscript dates from the 14th cent., but it had probably been first collected s...
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committee
committee one or more persons appointed or elected to consider, report on, or take action on a particular matter. Because of the advantages of a division of labor, legislative committees of various kinds have assumed much of the work of legislatures in many nations. Standing committees are appointe...
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asphalt
asphalt , brownish-black substance used commonly in road making, roofing, and waterproofing. Chemically, it is a natural mixture of hydrocarbons. It varies in consistency from a solid to a semisolid, has great tenacity, melts when heated, and when ignited will burn with a smoky flame leaving very li...
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Franz Berwald
Franz Berwald , 1796-1868, Swedish composer. His music, which is highly original in its use of rhythm, harmony, and orchestration, had little popular success. Best known for his four surviving symphonies, he also wrote several concertos, chamber works, and operas.
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cannabis
cannabis (kan-ă-bis) n. a drug prepared from the Indian hemp plant (Cannabis sativa), also known as pot, marijuana, hashish, and bhang. It produces euphoria and hallucinations and has little therapeutic value; its nonmedical use is illegal. See also dependence....
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pillar
pillar freestanding columnar supporting member. It is a general term, little used as an exact architectural definition except as applied to an upright support in the medieval styles, consisting of an assemblage of juxtaposed shafts and moldings; unlike the column, it does not adhere to the rules of...
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Kinorhyncha
Kinorhyncha , phylum containing about 150 species of tiny pseudocoelomate worms, it is widely distributed in marine sediments. The kinorhynch body is divided into 13 segments, each covered with a cuticle and equipped with characteristic spines. The first segment is a bristly head that can be protr...
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little magazine
little magazine term used to designate certain magazines that have as their purpose the publication of art, literature, or social theory by comparatively little-known writers.
Distinguishing Features and Pioneering Publications
Little magazines differ from the large commercial periodicals...
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biodiesel
biodiesel fuel made from natural, renewable sources, such as new and used vegetable oils and animal fats, for use in a diesel engine . Biodiesel has physical properties very similar to petroleum-derived diesel fuel, but its emission properties are superior. Using biodiesel in a conventional diesel...
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Marie Laurencin
Marie Laurencin , 1885-1956, French painter and print maker. She studied under Carrière and was influenced by the fauvist and cubist movements. By 1918 Laurencin had developed her elegant, highly personal style, which became extremely popular and which altered very little subsequently. It is ...
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